Silk Stockings

Amazon.com

Fred Astaire took one of his final musical turns in this delightful 1957 comedy, a cold war update of the classic Ninotchka. Cyd Charisse, having previously wrapped her endless legs around Fred in The Band Wagon, plays the Greta Garbo role: a humorless Soviet functionary who sternly refuses the allure of Paris… for a while, anyway. Like some of the first widescreen musicals, Silk Stockings feels a little slowed down by the horizontal format, but nothing can dim the sparkle of Astaire and Charisse, nor quench the razzmatazz of Janis Paige. Paige and Astaire assess the current state of movies by singing that films today need "glorious Technicolor, breathtaking CinemaScope, and Stereophonic sound!" In the hands of Cole Porter, that phrase becomes wonderfully musical--and by the way, it's nice to see the composer identified with so many breezy 1930s songs staying au courant in the age of Sputnik and television. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Silk Stockings.......2007-06-26

A witty and warm Cold War romance, "Stockings" re-shapes Garbo's famous MGM comedy "Ninotchka" into a delightful music and dance-fest. Thanks to the romance of a Paris setting and a buttery Cole Porter score, détente between stars Astaire and Charisse develops quickly, followed by marvelous dancing routines. At age 57, Astaire is still a dazzling, graceful performer, while Charisse ably fills Garbo's shoes. Peter Lorre, in a rare comic turn, even vamps his way through the rollicking "Siberia." Irresistible entertainment.

Charisse is a bonus to any film, a compliment of any arm, a true gem..........2007-01-14

Cyd Charisse, along with Vera-Ellen and Ann Miller, was one of the premier dancing stars of the 1940's and 1950's...

Known for her cool sex appeal, Cyd Charisse has a beautiful face, a perfect figure, and a thrilling musicality... She is the American cinema's lyrical dancing beauty with a lovely flow of movements and crystalline footwork, a bonus to any film, a compliment of any arm, a true gem... The sensitivity and eloquence of character she projects as a dancer found great echo in her roles as an acclaimed ballerina capable of expressing herself to the entire audience with a flick of the wrist, tapering her high extensions into a musical phrase like a painter controlling a fine sable brush...

When she danced 'La Bamba' and 'Flaming Flamenco' with Ricardo Montalban in Richard Thorpe's "Fiesta," she excelled in technical dynamics... But in 'Broadway Rhythm Ballet,' number from "Singin' in the Rain," Stanley Donen's camera followed the leg up to the figure of a seductive Dancer, a gangster's moll: Charisse was beautiful, bewitching exotic nightclub performer and city vamp, teasing Gene Kelly by balancing his straw hat on the end of her foot, and leaving us all breathless...

In 'Silk Stockings' she is a humorless, unromantic and cold, a seriously-austere Russian envoy who is sent from Moscow to check three Russian emissaries who, in turn, have orders to bring back with them a Soviet composer about to lend his talents to an American movie producer...

A 'beautiful dynamite,' Charisse warms to the appeal of romance, and Fred Astaire, to luxury, jazz, and French champagne... The chemistry was there when they danced the 'Paris Loves Lovers,' number in which the suave Astaire awakens her interest in life and the City of lights, but in the title song where she throws off her cold uniform for her first fine pair of silk stockings and laces, Charisse, (the very serious and dedicated Ninotchka), turns into an explosion of talent and glamor, with the qualities of a scintillating star, radiantly charming and sweet, filling the screen with bravura, energy and spark...

Peter Lorre, Jules Munshin and Joseph Buloff are the three Kremlin agents, the trio of 'clowns' who become fond of freedom and the pleasures of Paris...

Janis Paige is delightfully amusing as the temperamental movie star for whom producer Astaire was preparing a musical about Napoleon and Josephine...

'Silk Stockings' has definite virtues, the foremost being Fred Astaire... Although worried about being ageless for the role, Astaire sings 'All of You' to Charisse with all of his old ardent feelings, dances beautifully with her in a deserted movie studio to 'Fated to Be Mated,' and joins Janis Paige, playing 'America's Swimming Sweetheart,' in Cole Porter's delicious 'Stereophonic Sound.' His solo to 'The Ritz Roll 'n' Rock,' in which he wears his trademarked top hat and tails, is a proof of his grace, sophistication and talent...

For all its merits, Mamoulian's 'Silk Stockings' has a degree of elegance and sophistication, but mostly a sweet sadness, the end of a living legend, in which Fred Astaire appears in his last great musical role...

By no means a miss, but not exactly a smash hit. Fred Astaire's last leading man role in a movie musical.......2006-09-06

There are a number of good things about Silk Stockings, but there also is a professional finality about the movie that makes it easier to observe than to be delighted by it. It was one of the last of the big MGM musicals coming from Arthur Freed's production unit. It was the last musical Fred Astaire made as the lead. It was the last film directed by Rouben Mamoulian. It was based on the last Broadway musical Cole Porter wrote. Silk Stockings also was used to make a statement about the excesses some thought were ruining films and music...the advent of rock and roll and the technological changes in films with wide screen and stereo sound. It even takes a crack at the fashion for ballet in many musicals. You've got to be very clever and original to successfully parody things which are already self-parodies. Silk Stockings, even with its many entertaining moments, isn't that clever.

The story is based on Ninotchka, the female Soviet commissar who comes to Paris and finds romance reluctantly...and then enthusiastically. Paris is presented as a place where decadence was never more innocent and persuasive. Steve Canfield (Fred Astaire) is a Hollywood producer in Paris who plans to make a film starring a famous film star (Janis Paige), using the music of a famous Soviet composer who isn't thrilled at returning to Moscow. Three Soviet bureaucrats (Peter Lorre, Jules Munshin and Joseph Buloff), bumblers all, have been sent to retrieve him...but they fall prey to the charms of Paris, too. So one of the toughest, most dedicated commissars is sent to bring them all back. She is Nina Yoshenko (Cyd Charisse), and she is as humorless as a training manual. Canfield piles on the charm, Ninotchka finally softens, romance blossoms. And then, of course, a misunderstanding arises. Ninotchka returns to Moscow, but a bit of sly dealing by Steve gets her back to Paris. The misunderstanding is solved, love blossoms anew, and East-West relations, at least for Steve and Ninotchka, warm up considerably. Marriage is just a kiss and a dance away.

One of the things that seems so odd is that, for a Fred Astaire film, Astaire spends a good deal of time doing knee drops, full-length on-the-floor sprawls and athletic dance moves that limit the sophisticated and smooth Astaire style. He was 59 when he made the picture, and this might explain the relative shortness of some of the sequences. Still, while he is assured and immensely watchable (and while he can still do wonders with a cane), three major dance productions he is in just seem choppy.

Most of the songs from the Broadway show were retained and Porter wrote a couple of new ones. It's become routine with Porter to say that whatever his latest show was, the score was never one of his best. In this case, it's true. The romantic songs are great, but the topical speciality numbers just seem tired.

--"Too Bad" is a raucous song and dance involving the three Soviet flunkies, Steve and three ladies Steve brought to convince the flunkies they don't need to hurry to go back to Moscow. There's a nice sequence involving Astaire dancing with each of the women. Watching Peter Lorre gamely taking part, however, I didn't find very funny. He had health problems, was over-weight and it showed.

--"Paris Loves Lovers" is a charming song Astaire sings to Charisse, and then she counterpoints in the reprise.

--"Stereophonic Sound," for me, just isn't particularly clever or funny. Janis Paige plays a character who has no subtlety, and she delivers the song the same way. This is the first of the production numbers that have Astaire sliding under desks and dropping onto the floor.

--"It's a Chemical Reaction, That's All." This clever little throw away is used by Ninotchka to explain to Steve that love is nothing more than predictable chemistry.
When the electro-magnetic of the hemale
Meets the electro-magnetic of the female,
If right away she should say, 'This is the male,'
It's a chemical reaction, that's all.

And though you fascists may answer with kisses
The same applies when you're mister and missus.
Hey diddle diddle with middle class kisses.
It's a chemical reaction that's all.

--Which leads immediately to one of Porter's first-class songs, "All of You," which includes the naughty line that sends schoolboys to sniggering every time they hear it. The song is sung by Astaire to a skeptical Charisse.
I love the looks of you, the lure of you.
I'd love to make a tour of you,
The arms, the eyes, the mouth of you,
The east, west, north, and the south of you.

I'd love to gain complete control of you
And handle even the heart and soul of you.
So love at least a small percent of me, do.
'Cause I love all of you.

--"Satin and Silk," a speciality number for Paige.

--"Silk Stockings." This is one of Porter's great brooding, throbbing latin melodies, danced by Cyd Charisse.

--"Without Love" is such a paean to the wholesome hetero love of a woman for a man that Porter must have had a great time writing the lyrics.

--"Fated to Mated" is a jaunty song sung by Astaire to Charisse which leads into an extended dance routine for them. The dance is the second number that winds up more athletic than we're used to.

--"Josephine," another speciality number for Paige, much abbreviated from the Broadway version.

--"Siberia," a not-too-funny specialty number for Lorre, Munshin and Buloff.

--"The Red Blues." This is probably the second least inspired number by Porter. It's redeemed by a driving arrangement, vivid choreography and a knock-out performance by Charisse. She was a skilled, precise dancer who could handle any steps they gave her. She does a great job here.

--"The Ritz Roll and Rock." Astaire is said to have asked Porter to come up with a big finale number that would poke fun at all the changes in the musical scene that had been happening in the Fifties. This was the result and, to my view, it simply isn't very good. The song lacks cleverness and wit. Astaire was always expert, but this has him starting out in a classic white tie and tails pose, then sends him spinning on the floor and finishing by smashing his top hat with his fist. As Cyd Charisse said years later in one of the extras on the DVD, "Though Fred was wonderful, it was clear that the age he had come to emulate was over." This number just doesn't do the job.

Astaire, as always, is first class. Charisse is easy to look at and a fine dancer. George Tobias, as a commissar in Moscow and Ninotchka's boss, gives a sly and dead-pan performance. Some of Porter's songs are very good. Mamoulian brought the film in on time and under budget. And Silk Stockings was a success with ticket buyers.

The DVD transfer is excellent. There are several light-weight extras, the best of which is a 1934 musical short based on Porter's Fifty Million Frenchman. It stars Bob Hope and a singer-dancer named Dorothy Stone. It only runs 21 minutes but it features four fine Porter songs from the show, including Hope singing "You Do Something to Me." At any excuse for a cue, a group of chorus girls and boys prance in to dance with that endearingly clunky style of early musicals.

For song & dance fans only.......2005-05-11

For those like me who are exploring the world of old movies for the first time, there is an excellent list at the NY Times website called "The 1000 best films ever made." This is one of those films, and I'm enjoying following their recommendations as opposed to just clicking on TCM or AMC and seeing whatever's on.

But that doesn't mean I always agree with those recommendations. I'm not particularly a fan of this genre, so it takes something really special to appeal to me. If this describes you too, skip "Silk Stockings" and go directly to Fred & Ginger's earlier films "Top Hat" and "Swing Time." Although this film with Fred & Cyd Charisse has its moments (Janis Paige gets some laughs, Charisse has a terrific solo dance number where her dour Communist character finally gets into those silk stockings, and this is the only place you'll ever see Peter Lorre sing and dance), ultimately it just drags. One could never say that about the above-mentioned Fred & Ginger classics.

Even the score by the legendary Cole Porter has zero memorable tunes...again, unless this type of film is your cup of tea, in which case it'll appeal to you. As for me, by the final half-hour I was continually amazed the film wasn't over yet, as another scene and then yet another scene started up while I was hoping for "The End." And it's actually surprising to me to find that this film is considered a comedy; other than Paige, I got zero laughs out of it. And Astaire, now middle-aged in 1957, is a shadow of his former self. Ultimately I just shut it off before the ending because I was falling asleep, so even though the film has its moments I give it only one star. A sleeping pill deserves no more.

the End of Fred Astaire.......2005-03-01

Fred Astaire has always been a performer who's work is very close to my heart. The last real Fred Astaire movie (excluding his geriatric non-singing, non-dancing or non-starring roles) is 1957's "Silk Stockings".

I was a little afraid to watch Silk Stockings at first. Sure, it had a Cole Porter score supervised by Andre Previn, and Hermes Pan choreography, and, sure, Fred made fabulous movies even at that age ("the Bandwagon", "Daddy Long Legs"), but I knew it was Fred's last, and I didn't want to know why. Now I know what a pleasure I was depriving myself of.

"Silk Stockings" is a musical remake of "Ninotchka", a 1939 Greta Garbo picture. It's about a serious stern young russian woman, sent as an envoy to nab a russian composer living illegally in Paris. The composer is betraying his russian classical heritage by writing music for a low brow movie musical. The director of this movie, played by Fred Astaire, distracts the pretty young russian (Cyd Charisse) with the wonders of Paris, classy night clubs, and dancing to jazz. In falling for him, her strict heartless personality melts away.

This movie was produced at the height of the cold war, and the height of Hollywood blacklisting, and it's commie-bashing could make some uncomfortable. To me, those jokes are anything but propaganda. The cultural stereotypes are played for laughs, and should be taken with a grain of salt. Of course, I'm a big fan of the top hat and tails ritzy romantic culture that Astaire's character teaches Charisse's character the joys of, so it's easy for me to say.

With the exception of the classics "All of You" and "Paris is For Lovers", Cole Porter's songs are comic, here. But, that being said, they are hilarious. This was towards the end of Porter's career too. Infact, this was towards the end of the movie musical as America knew it.

Rock and Roll was taking over. To me, the most moving moments in this movie are not the dramatic love scenes shared by Astaire and Charisse, they are the self referential moments, where Porter, Astaire, and choreographer Hermes Pan acknowledge that their era in over.

Porter wrote special material just for this movie. One highlight is a tune called "Stereophonic Sound". In it, the singer quips about how moviegoers used to be content to see talented performers do their thing, and a nice love story, but these days all they want is "glorious Technicolor, breathtaking CinemaScope, and Stereophonic sound!" The song puts down all the gimmickry of the modern Hollywood, and even has one verse quite obviously about Fred Astaire himself. Porter writes that these days a great hoofer in tails is not enough, they want a ballet (alluding to Gene Kelly's ballet dance number fad).

Fred Astaire's last MGM dance number is to the song "Ritz Rollin' Rock". It's Porter's parody of this new music called Rock and Roll, ironically borrowing from Irving Berlin's dated "Puttin' On the Ritz". This sequence, choreographed by Astaire's long-time collaborator Hermes Pan, ends with Fred writhing on the floor, wearing his 1930's tails and top hat. As the horns hit the last big chord, Fred removes his trade-marked top hat and smashes it flat with his fist.
The message Porter, Astaire and Pan slipped into this novelty number, is very powerful, if you know what you're seeing.

Pop entertainment changed in the sixties, and the the old kings abdicated their thrones to... well... the King, I suppose.

Anyway, if you're a Fred-head like me, and you're afraid to see Fred's final fling, "Silk Stockings", don't be. You'll be reminded why he and his period of Hollywood was great.

Classic Musicals Collection - The Cole Porter Gift Set (High Society / Kiss Me Kate / Les Girls / Broadway Melody of 1940 / Silk Stockings)

Average customer rating:

Honest personal opinion on the Cole Porter Gift Set
two musicals missing in this box set !!!!!
At last, 5 remastered Cole Porter Musicals now on DVD!!
Why Not 'Begin the Beguine' with this GREAT Collection?
Why Not 'Begin the Beguine' with this GREAT Collection?

Classic Musicals Collection - The Cole Porter Gift Set (High Society / Kiss Me Kate / Les Girls / Broadway Melody of 1940 / Silk Stockings)
Starring: Bing Crosby , Grace Kelly , Frank Sinatra , Celeste Holm , and John Lund
Director: Charles Walters , George Sidney (II) , and George Cukor
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Musicals & Performing Arts | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B00008WQ9L
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Amazon.com

The Cole Porter Collection provides an overview of the swellegant songwriter's witty lyrics and well-known melodies through five MGM musicals. The black-and-white Broadway Melody of 1940 features the brilliant dancing of Fred Astaire (in his MGM debut) and Eleanor Powell (in her fourth Broadway Melody picture). By the 1950s, we recognize the splashy colors that would become MGM's distinctive style in four pictures inspired by familiar sources. Kiss Me Kate (1953) is the adaptation of the Broadway musical, starring Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson as the couple whose offstage feud mirrors their roles in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The best of the batch, High Society (1956), stars Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra in a musical update of The Philadelphia Story, while the 1957 films Les Girls (with Gene Kelly, Kay Kendall, Tania Elg, and Mitzi Gaynor) and Silk Stockings (with Astaire and Cyd Charisse) retell Rashomon and Ninotchka, respectively. Favorite songs in the set include "Begin the Beguine," "I Concentrate on You," "Wunderbar," "So in Love," "Brush Up Your Shakespeare," "Well, Did You Evah?", "You're Sensational," and "All of You." The films boast sharp transfers, making-of segments hosted by legends such as Cyd Charisse and Ann Miller, vintage shorts and cartoons, and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound (except Broadway Melody, which is in satisfactory mono). --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Honest personal opinion on the Cole Porter Gift Set.......2006-07-16

I was very disappointed and feel that the only DVD worthwhile in this set is "High Society"--that deserves 5 stars! The other DVDs lack the quality and better-known Cole Porter song content. I would recommend buying High Society by itself, which, ironically, was my initial intention.

two musicals missing in this box set !!!!!.......2003-05-04

Great box, great musicals too, all remastered. Meanwhile, I don't understand why "Kiss Me Kate" is not letterboxed as I have a widescreen version of this movie on laserdisc. "Panama Hattie" and most of all, "The Pirate" are not included in this box set, why ?

At last, 5 remastered Cole Porter Musicals now on DVD!!.......2003-05-04

This review is mainly about the DVD presentation of these MGM musicals, "Cole Porter Collection" box set. The movies are ALL CLASSICS and worth the price of admission.

First of all I must congratulate Warner Brothers Home Video for their outstanding job in putting together this 5 DVD Cole Porter musical set!!! This 5 Musical box set have all been digitally remastered both picture & sound. The black/white picture quality is outstanding, the TECHNICOLOR pallet is eye popping/vivid, and the sound is crystal clear. There is an abundance of film related extra features included for each film too. Cole Porters music is at its best throughout this collection.

Qualifying Statement: I have a Home Theatre including; a 55" 16:9 WideScreen HDTV with a Progressive Scan DVD player/recorder and a Dolby ProLogic Surround System. My movie library consists of over 500 DVDs, mostly remastered & preserved in their original theatrical presentation release (full screen or widescreen anamorphic aspect ratio).

NOTE: FULL SCREEN - 4:3 (1:33 to 1 ratio) made for tv or films released before 1953. WIDESCREEN (movies made after 1953 to compete with television) - 4:3 LETTERBOX (horizontal top & bottom black bars on tv, add left & right vertical black bars too on 16:9 WideScreen HDTVs) adjusted for any aspect ratio 166/185/225 to 1 etc. It is still letter box.) ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN IS THE ONLY TRUE HDTV 16:9 PRESENTAION. This format automatically adjusts to the television being used. To get the High Definition picture the DVD MUST BE ANAMORPHIC & ENHANCED FOR 16:9 WIDESCREEN TELEVISIONS!!!!!!!!

Now in SUMMARY: Full Screen - "BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940" starring the best tap dancing duo of all time Fred Astaire & Eleanor Powell. This in my opinion is the best musical of this box set. The picture & sound quality is absolutely astounding. The dancing and Porters music is the best!!!! The musical film finale "Begin the Beguine" is fantastic. The extra features include; Ann Miller hosts a background documentary Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine (great info), Our Gang (Spanky etc)episode "The Big Premiere", Behind the Scenes Notes and trailer. This is a Black/White Full Screen film. What a musical. this film alone is worth the price of admission. "KISS ME KATE" starring Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson and Ann Miller. This 1953 TECHNICOLOR DOLBY 5.1 musical is beautiful to watch and the stars voices are wonderful. The dancing choregraphy of genius Hermes Pan is outstanding, with young dancers,Bob Fosse, Carol Haney and Ann Miller. Extras include; Ann Miller hosts Cole Porter in Hollywood: Too Darn Hot, Music Track Only, Vintage documentary short "Mighty Manhatten, New Yorks Wonder City", Behind the scenes notes and trailer.

ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN - "HIGH SOCIETY" Cole Porters 1956 musical remake of the 1940 comedy hit, "The Philadelphia Story". This time starring Grace Kelly (her last film before marrying the Prince of Monaco), Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. This is my second favorite of this box set. The screen play, the music and the stars are perfectly cast. Note: Crosby & Kelly make the "True Love" duet and it becomes a gold record. This TECHNICOLOR widescreen remastered picture presentation is better than the original theatrical release with Dolby 5.1 sound. Porters songs are at their best. We even have Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong jiving too.
Extras include; Celeste Holm hosts Cole Poter in Hollywood; True Love, Premiere Newsreel, Audio-Only radio ads featuring Crosby, Kelly & Sinatra, Millionaire Droopy Cartoon, behind the scenes notes and trailer. Don't miss "HIGH SOCIETY" with the regal elegant beauty of Grace (actually wearing her real engagement ring - what a rock), the crooner Crosby and Old Blue Eyes Frank this is an outstanding delight to watch and listen too!!!! "SILK STOCKINGS" - Porters 1957 musical adaptation of Garbos "Ninotchka" - starring Fred Astaire & Cyd Charisse. This TECHNICOLOR WIDESCREEN DOLBY 5.1 presentation is beautiful to watch and provides us with their last MGM musical. Extras include; Cyd Charisse hosts Cole Porters in Hollywood: Satin and Silk, 2 vintage musical shorts - Paree, Paree (1934 singing Bob Hope) and The Poet and Peasant Overture (presenting the MGM orchestra), behind the scenes and trailer. "LES GIRLS" this 1957 musical starring Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall and Taina Elg. Directed by George Cukor this Widescreen Technicolor Dolby 5.1 DVD is beautiful to watch but is the least known of Porters musicals. Extras include: Taina Elg hosts Cole Porters Hollywood: Ca C'est L'amour, vintage cartoon - Flea Circus, behind the scenes notes, trailer.

If you are a Cole Porter fan or you love musicals, this DVD box set is for you. Warner Brothers has done a marvelous job preserving, restoring and digitally remastering these films. A complete delite.

I recommend at a minimum rent "BROADWAY MELODY of 1940" and "HIGH SOCIETY" these 2 musicals are a must for your DVD library. Overall I love this box set. Enjoy.

Why Not 'Begin the Beguine' with this GREAT Collection?.......2003-04-24

Cole Porter was one of the greatest composers of all time and this a wonderful salute to him. The DVDs in this collection are:

Kiss Me Kate: A wonderful story of how two ex-spouses in a musical adaption of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" act the same offstage as they do on.
Starring: Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller

The Broadway Melody of 1940: Wonderful Dance Numbers, Great Stars, Flamboyent Costumes, IT'S GREAT!
Starring: Fred Astaire, Elenore Powell, George Murphy

High Society: It's the musical remake of "The Philidelphia Story". Am ex-husband trys to re-marry his soon-to-be married e-wife, Tracy, and along come the SPY magazine reporters to dig the dirt on Tracy's new wedding.
Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra

Silk Stockings: The musical remake of "Ninotchka". A film producer uses Paris and himself to try to charm a hard-cut envoy.
Starring: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Janis Paige

Les Girls: Th story of a showman and his Les Girls as each girl tells their story.
Starring: Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall

In my opinion, I think that the not-well-known Cole Porter's "The Pirate" with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland should be in this boxset INSTEAD of "Les Girls".

Why Not 'Begin the Beguine' with this GREAT Collection?.......2003-04-24

Cole Porter was one of the greatest composers of all time and this a wonderful salute to him. The DVDs in this collection are:

The Broadway Melody of 1940: Wonderful Dance Numbers, Great Stars, Flamboyent Costumes, IT'S GREAT!
Starring: Fred Astaire, Elenore Powell, George Murphy

Silk Stockings: The musical remake of "Ninotchka". A film producer uses Paris and himself to try to charm a hard-cut envoy.
Starring: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Janis Paige

Les Girls: The story of a showman and his Les Girls as each girl tells their story in court.
Starring: Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall

Amazon.com

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking is an excellent Sherlockian pastiche, i.e., part of a genre of original works featuring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most beloved character, but taking various liberties Doyle most likely would not have embraced. Rupert Everett gives a wholly original performance as Holmes--not an easy thing to do in the shadow of Jeremy Brett's definitive portrayal on Britain's Granada Television in the 1980s. Both Everett and the story capture Holmes during his most dissolute period, hooked on opiates, refusing to eat, and more often than not without the company of his friend, Dr. Watson (Ian Hart, essaying the character a second time), who had left Baker Street to pursue a private practice and marry his second wife. This is Holmes deep in the career crisis eventually resolved by his duel with Moriarty in Doyle's canon, but in The Case of the Silk Stocking the Great Detective is vexed by a murderer preying upon the daughters of London aristocrats. Elements of the killer's sexual fetishism make this a particularly grim tale that the discreet Watson would most certainly not have chronicled. The dark but imaginative tale is lightened a bit by the presence of Watson's fiancee (Helen McCrory), an American psychiatrist as aghast as she is impressed by Holmes' lack of emotional attachment to his work. --Tom Keogh

Description

When the murder of a penniless shopgirl is linked to the body of debutante Lady Alice Burnham, legendary sleuth Sherlock Holmes (Rupert Everett) immediately begins to piece together the clues. The murky world of the menacing London docks collides with the glamour and glitter of Edwardian high society as Holmes and Dr. Watson (Ian Hart) are reunited to solve a case that threatens to overwhelm the privilege and tranquility of aristocratic society.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by Simon Cellan Jones (Director) and Elinor Day (Producer)
Biographies:Cast bios

Customer Reviews:

Sherlock Holmes and the case of the silk stockings.......2007-06-27

As Sherlock Holmes go this was okay. Did not like the actors as well as some that I have seen.

Best of the Holmes .......2007-05-23

Of all the actors depicting Sherlock Holmes, I have to say that Rupert Everett is my absolute favorite. Not only does he fit the physical description of Holmes as tall and lanky, but he seems to smoothly ease into the dialogue as well. I prefer Everett because he seems to take some of the dryness and aloofness out of some previous characterizations and infuses it with wit, humor and charisma.
The story has a sexual nature which is clearly not written by Doyle, but is not overly explicit and the storyline does add some freshness to some of the Holmes tales.
Overall, a fresh, entertaining mystery.

a darker, conflicted, more relatable holmes.......2007-04-05

i thoroughly enjoyed this rendition of holmes and watson. rupert everett's delivery of holmes is much more interesting than any other i've seen. he's got a bit of an opium problem and ian hart as watson plays the interventionist friend. fortunately for us, an odd murder is enough to inspire holmes to return to his work. the mysterious killings are interesting and not easily solved. the cinematography, clothing, and cast were well done (here is our good friend neil dudgeon from the 'mrs. bradley' series as chief of police). watson's feminist fiancee jenny vandeleur adds to the interest by testing holmes' distrust of women. i wish this was part of a series.

Exceptional!!!!.......2007-02-16

Rupert Everett as Sherlock Holmes "Silk Stocking" was so exceptionally great I was intrigued to search web for more BBC Sherlock Homes starring Rupert Everett & Ian Hart. I have quite a collection of Sherlock Holmes DVD's. This BBC with Rupert Everett & Ian Hart has made me interested in purchasing a whole new set! BUT to my dismay all I found was this one "Silk Stocking".
I am sad there are no other makings with these 2 fine gentlemen Rupert & Ian.
These character's Sherlock Homes & Dr. Watson have had a "Great Pair Of Shoe Filled" ( all the previous wonderful actor's, Basil Rathbone, etc.) by these two actor's Rupert & Ian playing these roles.
Please film more!! ;-)

Enjoyable movie even if you don't know much about Sherlock.......2007-01-06

Unlike these other reviewers, I am not a walking encyclopedia on the Ubiquitous Sherlock Holmes. I've only seen a few Sherlock Holmes movies and don't know all three names of Sherlock's creator or (gasp) I don't know what that weird looking pipe he smokes is called. Nevertheless, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking kept me entertained & had my attention throughout the entire movie.

The most pleasant & unexpected treat was Rupert Everett. I'd only seen him in a few mediocre movies and was skeptical about seeing his interpretation of Holmes. Boy was I ever wrong to pre-judge! I had NO IDEA. Everett gave a five-star performance and shocked and surprised me. I loved his Holmes. I was sold on Everett as Holmes from the early scenes. I completely forgot about Rupert and was completely absorbed in the character of Holmes. Now that's great acting if you have me so entranced in the movie & the character that I forget about the actor!

Therefore, don't make the same assumptions I did and snicker at this movie before you watch it. I'm also glad I never read some of these nit-picky reviews.

Just go and enjoy the movie by getting lost in this unique and BETTER interpretation of Sherlock Holmes!

Average customer rating:

I should've known it was porn
An ultra-naughty Misty Mundae performance

Silk Stocking Strangler
Starring: Katie Jordon , and Misty Mundae
Director: William Hellfire
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Horror | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

ASIN: B000077W1C
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Customer Reviews:

I should've known it was porn.......2004-08-17

Shame on me. I like extreme horror. I like old italian horror, that often gets packaged like porn even though it isn't. I had heard Misty Mundae originally wanted to do horror, and judging from the plot synopsis and not having a picture of the package, I figured I'd check it out. Yes, I actually bought it for the plot. Oh the shame...

All that notwithstanding, here's what you get...opens with a lesbian scene (I don't watch enough porn to really know if it's any good or not, was about on par with a badly lit Jess Franco film but it worked for me) Girls looked good, sexy outfits and very young looking. Scene could have been better as porn if they didn't keep doing cutshots to this UGLY redheaded stepchild in the room with them (they need to cast him in a few horror flicks...he was totally lecherous and sickening...but he played the psycho so good casting call for horror)

Then we go to a 30 second dialog followed by a prolonged strapon scene, (again ruined by the redheaded freak)with misty strangling the other girl for the last half of it, and that's where the arousal ended for me. Next scene the girl is tied to a chair being strangled again and finally she's standing on a chair touching herself with her head in a noose. Throw in a "shock" ending that I won't ruin for you (just in case you're in it for the plot) and that's the whole movie.

It's a shame because it could have been a good horror film if they went that way with it (better direction, lighting, acting, charater development, makeup etc required) but it's just fetish porn so it failed as shock horror. I think it fails as porn because it's a little too sick to beat off to, but it may be right up somebody's alley. Not my thing though. All in all, it disturbed me...and it takes alot to do that, so maybe it did succeed as horror. It was definitely horrible, not worth 30 bucks unless it's that porn you've been waiting all your life for, in which case you probably need to seek help. That kind of stuff shouldn't get you off.

An ultra-naughty Misty Mundae performance.......2003-09-22

Silk Stocking Sadist, a Factory 2000 production better known as Silk Stocking Strangler, stars the incomparable, gorgeous Misty Mundae and fellow After Hours Cinema starlet Katie Jordan in a film that goes beyond eroticism and kinkiness into a world that some viewers, even Misty fans, may find uncomfortable to watch. You expect the whole girl-girl thing with Katie and Misty (and it really doesn't get much better than what you will find here), but Silk Socking Sadist is also heavy on the fetishism, with elements of bondage, asphyxiation, and kinky shoe appreciation, all culminating in a hanging scene. It is not really as bad as it sounds, but those who like to pretend the naughtiest of activities do not exist will want to steer clear of this one. As far as the story goes, Jackie (Katie Jordan) and Olivia (Misty Mundae) are behind on the rent, so they agree to perform a number of increasingly extreme shows for their lecherous landlord. The ultimate conclusion is disturbing yet powerful.

The Naughty Edition of the film comes with a making-of featurette, and it is really quite interesting to watch. For one thing, you get to see exactly how the hanging scene was done (dismissing any fears the viewer might have that poor Katie actually came to a bad end). Of more interest to me, though, was the manner in which the film was produced. The whole movie was filmed in one day by William Hellfire in somebody's basement (they had to wrap up by 4 pm because the guy's mother would be coming back home at that time). Katie Jordan didn't even know the name of Misty's character at the beginning, and filming is interrupted several times by dogs barking outside. Misty Mundae's performance in this dark adults-only film is nothing short of mesmerizing (although, to repeat myself, this movie is not for everyone), offering further proof that her talent is rather wasted in movies such as this.

Average customer rating:
Silk Stalkings Seasons 1-5 Bundle

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | 1990s and Newer | By Decade | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
Silk Stalkings | S | TV Series, A-Z | TV Series | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Television | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Television | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000ORFAIQ

Product Description

Cassandra "Cassy" St. John and Tom Ryan are the new duo in town. It is now their job to catch the killers of Palm Beach. They are ex-partners, who got married, and then divorced. Now they are partnered together again. Rita left the show to care for her and Chris's unborn child.

Average customer rating:

Les Girls / Silk Stockings (Two-Pack)
Starring: Leslie Phillips
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Average customer rating:

Silk Stocking Strangler
Starring: Misty Mundae , and Katie Jordon
Director: William Hellfire
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

General | Horror | Genres | VHS | Video

Slasher Flicks | Horror | Genres | VHS | Video

Horror | Independently Distributed | Specialty Stores | VHS | Video

Art House & International | Independently Distributed | Specialty Stores | VHS | Video

Description

Sweet young Jackie (Katie Jordon) was looking for an outlet for her desires and a way out of her oppressive home life when she moved in with the free-spirited and hot-tongued Olivia (Misty Mundae). For Jackie, Olivia was a promise of independence and naughtiness. But lust quickly become betrayal when this sex-crazed lesbian couple faces eviction from their apartment. To take the landlord's mind off rent money, Olivia engages the naïve Jackie in a game of exhibitionism and voyeurism, putting her life in grave danger. As the landlord's fantasies become more bizarre, Jackie begins to fear for their lives. Olivia tries to convince her gullible young lover that there is nothing to fear, yet she cannot possibly imagine the acts of depravity and sadism that truly lurk behind the peeping eyes of the landlord…and what he has in store for them.

DVD:

DVD

DVD