Steven Spielberg Presents Taken

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Steven Spielberg's alien abduction opus Taken is what happens when you cross-breed Close Encounters of the Third Kind with The Waltons. Obviously flushed with the success of the TV miniseries Band of Brothers, Spielberg's Dreamworks studio has created an equally epic 10-part story chronicling 50 years of habitual abduction over several generations of three American families. Beginning with the most notorious alien cover-up in U.S. history, the 1947 "crash" at Roswell, New Mexico, Taken introduces the "Greys" and the families they routinely abduct, probe, and, in a couple of cases, impregnate over the course of the ten 90-minute episodes. The three families are: the Keys, from which first Russell, then his son Jessie, then grandson Danny, are all abducted; the Clarkes, who are descended from a liaison between lonely put-upon housewife Sally Clarke and one of the Roswell crash survivors; and the Crawfords, the ruthless G-men who are committed to uncovering the purpose behind the alien visitations at any cost.

It's this question that forms the main thread of the story: but even though the Greys' actions are at best ambiguous and at worst hostile, the viewer can't help feeling that after all this systematic abuse of their human test subjects the aliens will in the end present them with a cure for cancer. In fact, Taken is Spielberg at his most touchy-feely: for all its science fiction trappings it's basically a soap opera, lacking the sinister undercurrent of either Dark Skies or The X-Files. Nevertheless, it's an engaging series with decent performances--most notably Joel Gretsch as psychotic Owen Crawford--good special effects, and an engaging enough storyline to make it entertaining, if somewhat disposable, TV. --Kristen Bowditch

Customer Reviews:

Generations, Transformations, and the Making of "Master Plans".......2007-07-20

People have been reporting abductions since - well, since longer than we want to let on. One of the stories in the series in a story about a bomber crew in world War 2 that experienced just that; they saw lights in the sky and a "something" they couldn't understand and then - and then everything changed. Supposing there really are aliens and supposing these people really are telling the truth about being pulled into bright lights and having no recollection of what transpired, what exactly does that mean? Sometimes it seemed to mean something more, like a person wouldn't be allowed to be harmed because "something" seemed to keep a constant vigil over them, and sometimes a person would only be taken once and never remember it again. That's the beauty of the story; the puzzle that starts coming together like an enigmatic puzzle coming together.

Taken is a 10 part mini-series that ponders this and more, following three main families that are either in the "close encounters" arena, in the "alien hunters" arena, or are in some other arena that goes deeper than that either understands. It tracks these people through generations, three to be exact, as something starts developing in the 40s and keeps developing until - well, until that "something" occurs. The beautiful thing herein is that the pay-off isn't in the end or even in some of the story arcs but is instead hidden amongst the details and the derails and the utter humanity that is so easily overlooked. With vocal points provided by Dakota Fanning, this points are sometimes profound and sometimes touching and sometimes both and more.
It really is surprising when you find a series with this much scope and find that it has something to say as well.

When I first watched this series, I had low expectations for what was being presented because I am no lover of Spielberg's depictions of what is "alien." He oftentimes seems to have a very tolerant view in light of the other material he also shows - abductions and mutilations and the like. I also find that aliens aren't the best things to watch because they have a certain "depiction" people normally see; you have a specific build and a specific mode of travel and those things aren't deviated from. Here, however, Spielberg goes outside this normative box and shows all sides of the equation, pointing out how humans can be very inhumane and how something alien can have all the flaws a person has and more. Combine that with a cast that has talent, a story that really has time to take and build, and you have a thing that is worth watching - and worth watching a second time over.
It was, in fact, the third time I watched it that everything clicked and I really found myself amazed.
This is more adult than you would expect, good for alien and non-alien movie watchers alike, and is filled with surprises. I recommend it highly.

sweet Dakota Fanning.......2007-01-31

I just spent the entire weekend viewing taken
and i have to admit it was a very well spent time. The story was very interesting despite what other reviewers said.But I have to say my favorite character was Dakota Fanning (Allie)
She really stole the show from the time she entered the picture.Your heart really went out to this little girl.It started out with an alien craft crash in 1947 and really held your interest all the way threw.It went threw 5 generations of families with a fantastic cast.
and a very moving climax. Dakota even did great job narrating

Marvellous television.......2007-01-17

My wife spotted this on one of the German channels and became a fan, so we acquired the DVDs. OK, the story is pure hokum and the characters can be decidedly odd, ranging from the angelic, wise-beyond-her-years Ally to the villainous Crawford tribe, who are so bad that you have to resist the temptation to boo them every time they appear, as in a traditional English pantomime. But it gets you in. Part of the appeal appears to be that the thing is just so beautifully realised - the contemporary settings seem absolutely perfect - that it's irresistible. You find yourself wishing that that there were really something to it - and perhaps this is the other part of the appeal, something encountered in "The X-Files", that there is something beyond what is officially presented and that it's being covered up. Perhaps there's something in us that enjoys a good conspiracy theory, perhaps because we like to think that the world isn't just a series of accidents and happenstances. Whatever it is, I thoroughly enjoyed this series.

"I loved it" review.......2007-01-17

Whenever Steven Speilberg is involved, you know you won't be disappointed.
I loved watching the series. It pulled me right into the lives of three different families and their encounters with extraterrestrials over a number of generations. I did't want it to end! It is defintely something I would watch again. Also it was fun to see Dakota Fanning at such a young age. It also makes you wonder.....Could there be?.......Hmmmm............

Kudos to the sci channel how about a sequel?.......2007-01-01

After about five years this little gem is still getting rave reviews. I purchased this a few years ago for 90 bucks. I do not buy box sets or season dvd's of any tv show. I never would have thought that taken of all things would make me break down and by a box set dvd but it did . I do not even like Alien movies and I am not into the ex files but I love this mini series because it was well written and acted. You will love this if you buy it but shop around $ 107.00 is a lot.
BY the way I guess I am breaking my rule again I cannot wait for season one of Hero's to come out on dvd when it does it is as good as sold.
I may not love Alien movies but I have a fondness for superhero movies.

Remember Pearl Harbor: America Taken By Surprise

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Remember Pearl Harbor: America Taken By Surprise
Starring: Remember Pearl Harbor
Manufacturer: Questar Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005QBYF
Release Date: 2002-02-15

Description

America Taken By Surprise -- A Fascinating Look at Pearl Harbor on 3 Discs. Disc 1: America Taken by Surprise: Find out why the U.S. Pacific Fleet was caught off-guard by the Japanese. DVD Extras: Stories From Battleshi Row; Holloywood's Pearl Harbor; Attack of the Midget Subs; Salvaging the Pacific Fleet. Disc 2: The Pacific War on Film: A trio of documentaries produced by Academy-Award-winner John Ford -- December 7, 1941; The Battle of Midway; The "Fighting Lady." Disc 3: Prelaude to Pearl Harbor: Academy-Award winner Frank Capra captures the drama of a global conflict that America could not avoid.

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VERRRRRRRRY IRRRRRRRITATING
correction
Good Sci Fi
A Minor Critique
A mini-series that gets most things right.

Steven Spielberg Presents Taken

Manufacturer: DreamWorks Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

ASIN: B0009JVURY

Product Description

Taken spans five decades and four generations, centering on three families: the Keys, Crawfords, and Clarkes. World War II veteran Russell Keys is plagued by nightmares of his abduction by aliens during the war; the Roswell incident transforms Owen Crawford from ambitious Air Force captain to evil shadow government conspirator; the unhappily married Sally Clarke is impregnated by an alien visitor. As the decades go by, the heirs of each are affected by the machinations of the aliens, culminating with the birth of Allie Keys, who is the final product of the aliens' experimentation and holds the key to their future.

Customer Reviews:

VERRRRRRRRY IRRRRRRRITATING .......2006-10-30

This series must be for children because the narrator is some 6 or 7 year-old child who sounds like he or she has just learned how to read.
It's excruciatingly irritating to have this kid constantly interrupting the movie so that he or she can attempt to read to us the reasons why the actors are in such despair.
Very very amateurish moviemaking.
If the actors are deserving of our sympathies, then their acting skills will earn them. I don't need some kid constantly interrupting the movie to tell me how I'm supposed to feel.
I removed disc 1 because that irritating kid's voice kept interrupting the movie, and I put disc 2 in and sure enough, that kid is still there reading to us and telling us how we're supposed to think and feel. Plus, this irritating child begins every episode, rambling on and on and on in that phony baby's voice that will literally drive you up the wall.
ENOUGH ALREADY!
I guess the story can't stand on its own. Or, its intended audience is not supposed to be able to comprehend the movie unless some obnoxiously phony child first explains everything.
Thankfully, I only threw away a dollar on this by renting it from our local library.
Believe me, though, unless you enjoy having some little kid constantly interrupting the movie to explain what is taking place and how you are supposed to feel, then I would pass on this.

correction.......2006-08-25

Joanna Daneman is mistaken - Steven Spielberg didn't actually direct any episodes of Taken, hence the "Steven Spielberg Presents," not "Directs."

Good Sci Fi.......2006-07-16

Excellent start but a bit disappointing towards the end. While I expected to see more aliens, this is definitely a must see, well produced series.

A Minor Critique.......2006-05-08

First off, I'd like to say that I in no way intend to pan this phenomenal film, but I'll leave the praise to the other reviewers, as I think they've done so adeptly. I enjoyed this movie immensely, and have managed to sit through it four times. The rather large pricetag is worth it, in my opinion. Performances are excellent, script is by and large excellent, perhaps a bit forced at times to push the story forward, but overall excellent.

That said, the sound mixing in the movie is perhaps the worst I have ever heard. Honestly, the lead engineer must specialize in annoying people with "hot" voice-over recordings, because he jammed the microphone volume on Dakota Fanning's narrative so high that it's painful to listen to. Have you ever noticed that many pharmaceutical company commercials have women who whisper into a microphone and you can hear the wet, sticky noises that their tongues make while moving around inside their mouths? That's called microphone volume (as opposed to master volume), and hearing subvocal noises is generally a no-no, but some people feel that it contains a maternal and personal quality that conveys comfort and trust. Mostly, I think it's like listening to someone chew gum into a microphone.

So if you've ever been annoyed by voice-overs or you have difficulty listening to NPR, be warned that Dakota Fanning's narrative in this film is beyond atrocious, through no fault of her own. Her performance is excellent, her dialogue is excellent, but her engineer single-handedly cheapened this otherwise amazing film with his astonishing incompetence. But that's just my opinion.

A mini-series that gets most things right........2006-04-30

This is a very, very, very long film ... an epic (6 dvd disks that will kill almost 15 hours out of your life), so it came as a surprise that it kept my interest enough to watch it until the end. Oh, I think they could (and should) have tightened this up by nipping two or three hours (or more) out of this series, and not everything works in this film (example: they did a pour job aging the actors and some of the sub-plots were weak, run-of-the-mill, and unconvincing), but it is a far cry from most of the cheesy sci-fi corrupting the airways on the sci-fi channel. The truth is, I rarely watch anything on the sci-fi channel because I find almost all of it laughable at best. Sci-fi is ripe for sub-B scripts, dumb dialog, and poor acting, and the Sci-fi channel is notorious for airing unadulterated crap. Is it any wonder that most people don't like sci-fi?

TAKEN, however, is surprisingly sophisticated in its approach and direction. And there are scenes that are truly disturbing (this isn't light fare). Perhaps it helped that Steven Spielberg produced this series. It looks like they really did some solid research in the UFO/abduction field when coming up with this script. And while none of the actors were house-hold names when this film aired, most did a fine job throughout this series. The plot is simple enough (are the aliens evil, or good, or something else?), but it is the execution of this simple script that makes this series worth watching. It spans more than 50 years of the UFO phenomena and centers upon alien abduction and government involvement and cover-ups. Whether you believe in aliens and alien abductions (or government cover-ups for that matter) or think it's all hogwash, this film will keep you interested (although some episodes aren't quite up to par with most of this film).

I don't really know when this series was produced. I've seen dates that range from 1998 to 2002. But I do know that Dakota Fanning was quite young (4, 5, 6, or 7 years old, depending upon when this was actually filmed). And I guess that's what surprised me the most. This little girl must have a genius IQ (she narrated the entire series) and is now (at age 11) considered to be one of the most gifted actors/actresses working in Hollywood. And yes, she is the highlight of this film (even though she appears toward the end of the series), as she is the highlight of every film that she has made. I also don't know what it is that fascinates people (as well as me) so much concerning Dakota. A fine actress? Yes. Believable in every part she has played? Yes again. I do know that she feels like a breath of fresh air every time I have watched her (whether in movies or in interviews).

So, if you are looking to kill an entire weekend (and perhaps a good portion of the week), pick up this fine film (if you are lucky enough to find it). Between 1 and 10, I give TAKEN a solid 8.

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Taken: Volumes 5 & 6: The Gift

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

2 Disks included: Volume 5 includes Episodes 9 & 10: The Army shoots down an alien spacecraft but the aliens achieve their objective. The truth is unlocked. Volume 6 includes bonus features: cc"Inside Taken" featurette "The Cast of Taken" featurette "A New Reality: The Visual Effects Team" featurette "A Singluar Vision: The Directors" featurette "Time Warp" featurette

Taken ~ Ginger Lynn, Evan Stone - Director: Veronica Hart

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Taken ~ Ginger Lynn, Evan Stone - Director: Veronica Hart
Starring: Evan Stone , and Lexington Steele
Director: Veronica Hart
Manufacturer: Vca
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Behind The Scenes / Trailers
Photo Gallery / Star Biographies
Full-Motion Chapter Menu
Interactive Cast Menu / Auto Start/Auto Repeat
Approx. 1 HR. additional content

ASIN: B000Q5GEYU

Product Description

In this erotic tale of passion, possession, capture and release Ginger Lynn delivers the performance of her career as Kim, an unhappy housewife who is shown the true nature of her sexuality when she is abducted and held capture by a seductive stranger (Evan Stone). As her desire for her captor builds, she becomes aware of the passion she can no longer live without. Suddenly her spirit is awakened and her life is changed forever. (Best Actress - Film , AVN Awards, 2002) Ginger lynn

Agathie Christie's Poirot - Taken At the Flood

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Agathie Christie's Poirot - Taken At the Flood

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

ASIN: B000M1FZFW

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Taken: Volume 4: Alien Contact

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

Charlie Keys (Adam Kaufman) comes to terms with his lifetime of abductions, but then must deal with a shocking revelation. Episodes 7 & 8

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"Taken" - the movie
A little girl is the only hope for humanity and this series

Taken
Starring: Dorothee Berryman , Michael Rudder , Linda Smith , Dabney Coleman , and Stewart Bick
Director: Max Fischer
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Steven Spielberg Presents Taken

ASIN: B00008G867
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Customer Reviews:

"Taken" - the movie.......2007-02-19

This item is the Movie 'Taken' not the 10 part series as the other reviewer is talking about. This is what the back of the DVD says:

"What happens when millionaire clothing manufacturer Ethan Grover (Dabney Coleman) is kidnapped - and his wife refuses to pay the ransom? He finds out things he didn't know: his wife (Linda Smith) is having an affair with his business partner (Stewart Bick), who's laundering money through the company's financial officer (Michael Rudder) - Who's running from a gambling debt, while Ethan's stepson (Brett Watson) works his own angles, which usually involve drugs. The only one trying to rescue Ethan is his loyal secretary (Dorothee Berryman), who helps Ethan cut a deal that secures the money for his own ransom. When greed is the motive, everyone is a suspect!"

A little girl is the only hope for humanity and this series.......2005-04-26

"Steven Spielberg Presents Taken" is a 10-part maxi-series that spins a story of alien abduction and genetic experimentation out of the infamous story of the crash of a U.F.O. at Roswell, New Mexico. Actually "Taken" begins at the end of World War II, when aliens first abduct B-17 bomber pilot Russell Keys (Steve Burton) and his crew during a bomb run over Germany. For the rest of the century the life of Keys and his descendants will cross paths with two other families. Sally Clarke (Catherine Dent) takes an alien visitor (Eric Close) into her home, and ends up bearing his child. Eventually the grandchildren of these Russell and Sally will come together and produce the end product of the alien's breeding program. On the other side of the equation are the Crawfords, the first generation of which is Major Owen Crawford (Joel Gretsch), who is in charge of the Air Force's program to answer the mystery of the aliens.

Major Crawford is your stereotypical warped military commander who is completely obsessed by his project. The nicest thing you can say about him is that he is not a sadistic bully, just a murdering bully. No wonder General Hammond on "Stargate SG-1" is such a breath of fresh air. In Crawford's case it is nurture and not nature that warps his two sons and granddaughter and has them following in the family business. Basically the plot is a chess game between Crawford, the Air Force, and his scientists versus the aliens, in which the humans are almost always a step behind and a day late, whether they are trying to understand what the aliens are doing or trying to step the visitors from making the next move.

For most of "Taken" the audience knows little more than any of the characters. Even being privy to both sides provides little help. Actually the most important thing to pick up on during the first half of the series is the voice of the young girl doing the voice over narration in these episodes. That is because the payoff for this story is young Allison Clarke and it is not until young Dakota Fanning (what ever happened to her?) appears on screen that "Taken" really gets off the ground. Before that part the most interesting character is Owen Crawford, who is not a pleasant person.

Of course, this is the exact opposite of so many science fiction stories, where the set ups are great but the payoffs extremely unsatisfying. That is not the problem here, and if you have to struggle through the first half of "Taken" to get to this little girl, then make yourself do it. The result gets what would have been a mediocre science fiction series up to the level of being a good one. There really is not a big payoff in terms of the end of the story, either in terms of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" or "2001: A Space Odyssey," it all comes down to the little girl.

With her alien genetic background and what we have already seen some of her ancestors do when they were kids, you know that little Allie is going to be able to do some astounding things. But the most impressive thing she does is talk to others. People like to talk to her, she observes at one point, and for most of her time in "Taken" Allie looks like a cute little girl but also projects a calmness and sense of wisdom that are quite captivating. My favorite scenes are when she suddenly turns to an adult and says a sentence of such penetrating insight that it blows you away.

Maybe I am making too much of this. Given how low the bar is set in "Taken" it might be relatively easy for an 8-year-old to dazzle us. But given the resume Dakota Fanning has put together in this half of her life from "I Am Sam" to "Uptown Girls" I am pretty sure she is pretty good. All I really know is that once she showed up I really started paying attention to "Taken."

Remember Pearl Harbor - American Taken By Surprise (Vol. 1)

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Remember Pearl Harbor - American Taken By Surprise (Vol. 1)
Starring: Don 'Red' Barry , Alan Curtis , Fay McKenzie , Sig Ruman , and Ian Keith
Director: Joseph Santley
Manufacturer: Questar Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005NC5N

Amazon.com

This documentary about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is not so much about the events on the morning of December 7, 1941, as it is about the long series of events that brought America and Japan to open conflict. The rise of Japan as both industrial and naval power is contrasted with what the documentary openly declares to have been racist attitudes toward Asian nations exhibited by many Americans of the day. The outbreak of hostilities in Europe, the "America First" movement of isolationists, and the Roosevelt administration's support of Britain's struggle against Nazi aggression is discussed. Japan's naval genius, Admiral Yamamoto, is profiled, and Japanese plans to attack an unprepared base at Pearl Harbor are described. The attack itself is portrayed through use of archival footage. This film does an adequate job of presenting Pearl Harbor in a historical context, but it is somewhat upstaged by a separate documentary included in this package. The great director John Ford produced documentaries for the U.S. government during World War II, and his classic film December 7, 1941, which won the Oscar® for Best Documentary in 1943, appears on a second disc. Ford mixed footage of the actual attack with shots of model ships to portray the attack, and what it may lack in special-effects wizardry it more than makes up for in its immediacy and passion. Two other Ford documentaries, The Battle of Midway and an hour-long film about the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, are also provided, and while the quality of the picture suffers at times (the transfer appears to have been made from a worn print), the documentaries themselves are well worth seeing. --Robert J. McNamara

Taken: Volume 3: Abductions and Government Conspiracies

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Taken: Volume 3: Abductions and Government Conspiracies

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Taken: Volume 2: A New Generation

ASIN: B000MJ0JDM

Product Description

Following his father's footsteps, Eric Crawford (Andy Powers) heads the UFO unit. Episodes 5 & 6.

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