Muriel's Wedding

Amazon.com

Ever since the late '70s when the Australian New Wave was in full surge, Down Under directors have delivered movies that often hit you like news from another planet. Offbeat characters, weird narrative twists, and a tart mixture of laughs and catastrophe--this is the juice that fuels such flicks as Proof, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Strictly Ballroom, Heavenly Creatures, and most certainly Muriel's Wedding. Directed by P.J. Hogan (who would go on to helm the Hollywood hit My Best Friend's Wedding), this little gem follows tradition by featuring an authentic misfit: Muriel (Toni Collette), a great overweight horse of a girl obsessed with getting married and the music of ABBA. Appropriately, we first meet Muriel at a wedding, all trussed up in a leopardskin number she's boosted for the occasion. When her snotty peers insist that she give up the bridal bouquet to someone who might actually get hitched, when one of the guests turns out to be a clerk in the very store where Muriel ripped off her outfit--you gotta laugh, she's such an unmitigated mess. A loser, her philandering politician father (Bill Hunter) calls her--along with his doormat wife and his other couch-potato offspring. But this movie's no exercise in geek-bashing. As Muriel takes up with feisty Rhonda (Rachel Griffiths) and moves from Porpoise Spit to the big city, her good-hearted grin and zest for life draw us in despite hilarious gaffes and mishaps. (Making out with a boy for the first time, Muriel suddenly finds herself awash in styrofoam: the oaf has unzipped the beanbag chair instead of her skin-tight leather pants.) Muriel's Wedding covers territory Hollywood would banish from a comedy--Rhonda's cancer, the suicide of Muriel's mother, a marriage of convenience to an arrogant athlete--yet, like its heroine, it never loses its sense of humor, its will to move on to whatever good thing might happen next. Everyone in the idiosyncratic cast is terrific, but it's Toni Collette's Dancing Queen who makes Muriel's Wedding a cinematic celebration you won't forget. --Kathleen Murphy

Description

Hysterically funny, fresh, and brimming with wit, MURIEL'S WEDDING is the comedy hit celebrated by critics nationwide! No one ever paid much attention to Muriel and her humdrum small-town life, so she and her best friend, Rhonda, decide to leave it behind and head for the big city ... where they end up having the exciting adventure of their lives! What's more, soon everyone takes notice when Muriel becomes engaged to a handsome and popular sports hero! You'll love every hilarious minute as Muriel discovers that even when it seems all her dreams are coming true, the path to the altar still has plenty of surprising twists!

Customer Reviews:

The quirkiest chick flick ever.......2007-09-13

When I first saw this movie years ago I had no idea what it was about. Australian movies are quirky and have a party animal type of feel to them, but a movie about a wedding? I was expecting a chick flick, but got something else all together.

Before she would hit it big (as well as loose the weight), Toni Collette plays Murial, a loser in a small town in Australia. There is nothing about Murial's existence that is positive. She is a loser, an overweight high school drop out without a job or anything else to do except sit in her room and listen to ABBA. Her peers are snotty, bratty and barely tolerate her presence. When the movie opens, we see Marial at a wedding where much to her short lived happiness of catching the bouquet, one of her "friends" says to not be so greedy and give it to someone who actually has a chance of attracting a man. And the skin tight leopard print number she got just for the occasion was shoplifted. She lives at home with her obnoxious oaf of a father, her suffering mother, and a bunch of siblings equally miserable and ignorant. And she lives in a town called Porpoise Spit. It doesn't get much worse than this, does it?

Then, one day, Mariel decides to make a change. She joins forces with a childhood friend who she reunites with named Rhonda, and when she is entrusted with a large wad of cash to be deposited at the bank, she steals the money and takes off with Rhonda to Sydney. They live it up, partying and partying some more. Quite suddenly, however, things take a darker turn. Rhonda is diagnosed with cancer and will spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair. Mariel has to go home and face the wrath of her father for her irresponsiblity and her mother's suicide. And then, back to the original theme of the movie, Mariel suddenly finds herself married to a famous athlete who needs a green card. She's sort of a celebrity.

This movie has a variety of messages hidden in screwball comedy antics and caddy remarks between characters. The depression theme is there, no question, feeling Mariel's wants, hopes and dreams of breaking out of her family and small town's clausterphobia. Having terrible friends will bring you down, life experiences have taught me. The women she hangs around with really aren't her friends, they aren't even each other's friends. One is sleeping with the other's husband and yet they remain friends. Why? Maybe because they are lonely as well. Mariel is the hero of the story, but she's not a true blue hero. She does after all commit everything from petty to serious crime (shoplifting and stealing the money from her father). Her friend Rhonda is aspiring to greater things, but as her health takes a sudden turn she declines into depression that Mariel had before. Mariel's wedding of convenience is the crux of the story, as it has been reinforced time and again that women are nothing if they are not married. Not loved, but married. Her husband doesn't really like her that much at first, but his affection grows for her. Would it have otherwise? Hard to tell, as it's an odd situation. Mariel realizes perhaps the most important lesson to be learned - she doesn't need anyone or anything to accept her. She doesn't have to be a loser sitting at home dreaming, she can be whatever she wants to be as long as she gets up off the couch and DOES something. And being in a loveless marriage will bring her down. It sets her free rather than confines.

A crazy movie, full of silly disco glam and Aussie quirkiness. A good time to be hand without the sappiness of traditional chick flicks.

awesome.......2007-06-29

this is the bestest movie ever.. if you're a 20-something girl who dosn't really know what you're doing in life.. this is a perfect movie for you... it show's Muriel.. i mean Mariel's ups and downs in her life.. a great movie for that special 'girl's night in'.

Hilarious fun!.......2007-05-31

This movie combines the brutal honesty of being different with the very celebration of it. The music (predominantly ABBA) brings us, as an audience, up and down the emotional scale. We feel for Muriel, cheer her on, and admonish her at the same time. Muriel's Wedding is on my list of the best chick flicks out there.

Brought back so many memories ...........2007-05-29

The last time I ever saw this movie was over 10 years ago with my sister when we rented it on VHS. On DVD, it's even better. I wish they added a feature where they interviewed the cast now and see what they all look like. I know Collette is still acting, but whatever happened to those snotty friends of hers that make you want to punch them out.!

Muriel Steals Everything, Including Your Heart!.......2007-05-12

Muriel (Toni Collette) is an overweight, somewhat dense teenager who still loves ABBA and lives with an overweight somewhat dense family in Porpoise Spit, Australia. Dad is an incompetent and crooked local politician who belittles his family at every turn. Sounds like a real downer, huh? Throw in cruel girls, suicide and cancer and you'll have a real party! Right!? Director/Writer P. J. Hogan ("My Best Friend's Wedding") somehow manages to turn this screwball plot on its collective head and produces outrageous, hilarious scene after scene. Sure, Muriel is a loser until she gets together with Rhonda (Rachel Griffiths) and the two of them party and get revenge on the nasty girls. Both characters are extremely charismatic and likeable in every scene. There's no sense in going into all the plot changes and twists; it just keeps getting better and better. There's a certain realistic pathos of humor to Hogan's script, which never feels false and certainly not contrived. His aim is to make the losers the winners and the winners the fall guys. He succeeds marvelously.

John Wayne - Cowboy Legend 10 Movie Pack

Average customer rating:

Duke in the 1930s

John Wayne - Cowboy Legend 10 Movie Pack
Starring: John Wayne , George 'Gabby' Hayes , Maureen O'Hara , Yakima Canutt , and Stefanie Powers
Manufacturer: Mill Creek Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000NVIGHK
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Customer Reviews:

Duke in the 1930s.......2007-07-06

JOHN WAYNE - COWBOY LEGEND presents a nice sampling of 1930s 'B' westerns. All but one of these selections ("McLintock!") are early-career Wayne 3-reelers. Their plots were reliably formulaic, and the cast of regulars included Gabby Hayes, Yakima Canutt and several now nearly-forgotten leading ladies. The most recent of Duke's offerings here, HELL TOWN was filmed two years before his first western masterpiece, STAGECOACH. Signs of Wayne's future greatness were everywhere by then.

Another highly recommended DVD set is the ULTIMATE JOHN WAYNE COLLECTION. All ten of these movies are included, as well as ten more plus a bonus documentary, THE AMERICAN WEST OF JOHN FORD.

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The following alphabetized program list includes years of release for all titles, plus their most prominent actors.

(5.5) Blue Steel (1934) - John Wayne/George 'Gabby' Hayes/Yakima Canutt
(5.1) The Desert Trail (1935) - John Wayne/Mary Kornman/Paul Fix
(6.0) Hell Town ("Born To The West") (1937) - John Wayne/Marsha Hunt
(4.7) The Lawless Frontier (1934) - John Wayne/George "Gabby" Hayes
(7.2) McLintock! (1963) - John Wayne/Maureen O'Hara/Stefanie Powers
(5.0) Paradise Canyon (1935) - John Wayne/Marion Burns/Yakima Canutt (in support)
(5.5) Rainbow Valley (1935) - John Wayne/Lucile Browne/George 'Gabby' Hayes
(5.7) Randy Rides Alone (1934) - John Wayne/George "Gabby" Hayes
(5.6) The Star Packer (1934) - John Wayne, George "Gabby" Hayes
(6.0) Winds Of The Wasteland (1936) - John Wayne/Phyllis Cerf

Average customer rating:

enjoyable well balanced western
Excellent well-paced Randolph Scott western with a good supporting cast
Albuquerque
An Action-Filled Western From The Forties
"another great Paramount Western ~ Randolph Scott"

Albuquerque
Starring: Randolph Scott , Barbara Britton , George 'Gabby' Hayes , Lon Chaney Jr. , and Russell Hayden
Director: Ray Enright
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001FVDVO
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Customer Reviews:

enjoyable well balanced western.......2007-08-07

This probably has the best balance of any of Scott's westerns of a complicated plot, pleny of action and the humor of Gabby Hayes and that little girl who keeps popping up. A very enjoyable story. Gabby was in the driver's seat in the opening scene and in the spotlight in the closing scene. Too bad he wasn't in more of Scott's best films to lighten up Scott's stoicism. It's interesting that the woman Scott ends up with isn't even listed among the major characters, even though she is a major presence throughout the film. In contrast, the lovely but sneaky Barbara Britton is given second billing, despite her belated appearance. Those of you who used to watch the TV series "Lassie" will be surprised to find "Gramps" in the chief villain role. Enough said. Find a copy and enjoy.

Excellent well-paced Randolph Scott western with a good supporting cast .......2007-01-14

ALBUQUERQUE aka SILVER CITY a big-budget full 90-minute western from 1948. Based on a Luke Short novel and starring the ever dependable Randolph Scott and most peoples favourite western sidekick George "Gabby" Hayes. Although Hayes always played the old timer he was in fact less than 13 years older than the unusually (at times) cheerful Randolph Scott as seen here! Also starring Russell Hayden a real westerner he was probably best known as Hopalong Cassidy's (William Boyd) sidekick `Lucky' Jenkins.

Juke (George `Gabby' Hayes) is the stagecoach driver bound for Albuquerque, New Mexico from El Paso, Texas. On board is Celia Wallace (Catherine Craig) co-owner (with her brother) of the Wallace Freight Company she is delivering a $10,000 business bankroll. Also on board is former Texas Ranger Cole Armin who is taking a job for his uncle John, en-route the stage is held up a man is killed and Miss Wallace is relieved of her bankroll. On arriving in Albuquerque, Cole soon realises that Armin is a dirty word around town, suspecting his uncle knows something about the bankroll heist Cole sets about retrieving the bankroll then switches allegiance to Ted Wallace (Russell Hayden) and his sister. Meanwhile wheelchair-bound John Armin (George Cleveland) who runs the rival Monarch Freighting Company, hires a pretty female spy Letty Tyler (Barbara Britton) to infiltrate and set a trap for the newly formed Wallace (Cole) Armin Freight Company who have just won a contract with the Angel Roost Silver Mine to haul ore down a perilous shale-filled one-way mountain track into town using a ten wagon mule train. Despite a runaway sabotaged wagon with faulty brakes, they still managed somehow to safely negotiate the hill. Celia Wallace met them at the bottom of the hill having come warn them of an ambush by a bunch of hired guns led by John Armin's henchman Steve Murkill (Lon Chaney Jr.) As they set out for town Cole plans a counterattack as they head for the final showdown.

Ray Enfield was the director here; he also directed several more Randolph Scott westerns including the third version of the oft-filmed western THE SPOILERS (1942) in which Scott co-starred with John Wayne and Marlene Dietrich.

This original Cinecolor Paramount film maybe nearly sixty years old (2007) but the transfer to DVD with scene select option is first class. Released under the Universal Western Collection label this is good all round western fare, well worth the money!

Albuquerque.......2006-07-04

Another wholesome western starring Randolf Scott. Gabby Hayes is also good in a supporting role. There are many good scenic views throughout the movie and the story keeps your interest. It's just another example of movies that can be entertaining without bad language. Enjoy with the family.

An Action-Filled Western From The Forties.......2005-07-25

If you're fond of older movies which were essentially programmers, you might enjoy this. It's a better-than-average Randolph Scott Western with some good elements. Cole Armin (Scott) arrives in Albuquerque ready to take up a job offer made by his uncle, John Armin (George Cleveland). John Armin, aging and confined to a wheelchair, runs things in Albuquerque with a ruthless fist, the sheriff in his pocket, a thug on call and a merciless inclination to destroy any competition. Cole quickly sees what the "job" will call for, quits, and joins up with a brother and sister, Tom and Celia Wallace (Russell Hayden and Catherine Craig), who are trying to start a hauling business. They plan to sign contracts with mine owners to bring ore down from the nearby silver mines. Juke (Gabby Hayes), who has become friends with Cole, signs on to show them the ropes of mule train hauling. There are holdups, fist fights, shootings, fires and a lovely spy (Barbara Britton) as Cole takes on the criminal hirelings of his uncle. The climax comes when Juke and Cole lead ten 12-mule wagons laden with ore down a dangerous shale-filled mountain road from the Angel's Roost mine into town, to be met by his uncle's hired guns.

As I say, it's not bad. Scott always seemed to me to be a credible Western hero. Catherine Craig as Scott's love interest is no actress but she has a calmness about her which is nice and she has a great, low speaking voice. George Cleveland, who one critic called "round and twinkling," was a long-time character actor who usually played granddads. He turned in an effective performance as a ruthless man who will not be denied. Lon Chaney Jr. played his thug with a nice combination of thickness and meanness. The only real drawback for me was Gabby Hayes, who by this time could only play Gabby Hayes. I'm not sure who was the biggest ham in late Thirties and Forties movies, Hayes or Lionel Barrymore. For me, a little Gabby goes a long way.

I think Albuquerque is a better than average Western, made during the time when Hollywood was churning out double features. The DVD picture is a little soft and slightly orange but not enough to be distracting. There are no extras.

"another great Paramount Western ~ Randolph Scott".......2004-09-25

Paramount Pictures release of "Albuquerque" (1948/91 mins), featuring a who's who in great western action, drama and thrill-packed adventure ~ Cole Armin (Randolph Scott) heads the cast with John Armin (George Cleveland), Letty Tyler (Barbara Britton), Celia Wallace (Catherine Craig), Juke (George "Gabby" Hayes), Ted Wallace (Russell Hayden), Steve Murkill (Lon Chaney Jr) ~ under director Ray Enright, screenplay by Gene Lewis and Clarence Upson Young, from the novel "Dead Freight for Piute" by Luke Short, a wonderful western story just waiting to be made into a major film.

With the good guys Scott, Hayes and Hayden ready to set-up a small wagon-freight-hauling business to compete with Cleveland, Chaney and Britton, things are starting to get a little rough with family members Scott and Cleveland (his tyrant Uncle) ~ the freight business isn't big enough for the two of them ~ Scott & Hayden decide to work together as partners to get the big contract with the miners ~ but lookout for Chaney, he wants a piece of Scott and put him permanently in "boot hill" ~ the action quickens with some great hard riding ~ someone has tampered with Scott's brakes on his wagon, all going down a steep trail right behind Gabby's wagon...will everything work out...are the wagons going to make it...can Gabby get out of the way of Scott's wagon...does Scott have what it takes to survive without losing his life are the life of others ~ this is a greedy bunch bent on revenge against our favorite western hero ~ Randolph Scott.

This is not a B-Western, but a major film with a story that will keep you glued to your seat ~ the characters are very real with a fine performance by Barbara Britton, you don't know till the very end which side she's on ~ wonderful portrayal by George "Gabby" Hayes, who has worked with the best John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gary Cooper and William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy)...Gabby is one of the biggest scene stealers in the business, voted the favorite sidekick of all-time in western films during the '30s, '40s and '50s...gotta love it!

Total Time: 91 mins ~ Universal Studios Home Video 24928 ~ (6/01/2004)

The Ultimate Roy Rogers Collection - King of the Cowboys

Average customer rating:

ROY FANS - BEWARE OF THIS DVD SET
"King of the Cowboys ... Roy Rogers ... Ultimate Collection ... Passport Video"
good deal

The Ultimate Roy Rogers Collection - King of the Cowboys
Starring: Roy Rogers , Dale Evans , and Gabby Hayes
Manufacturer: Passport
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MQ5552
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Description

Saddle up for this action-packed assortment of shoot-`em-ups and songs of the sagebrush starring Roy Rogers - the King of the Cowboys!! Here are 25 full-length western features` on 5 DVDs!

Catch Roy and the whole gang - George "Gabby" Hayes, Dale Evans, Smiley Burnette, and Trigger ("The Smartest Horse in the Movies"). Along the way, such favorites as John Carradine, Gale Storm, and Clayton Moore make appearances. Some titles appear on DVD for the first time!

Disc One

*WALL STREET COWBOY (1939) - Roy ventures to New York to try and raise money for the mortgage on his ranch - which happens to be sitting on top of a large deposit of a rare and valuable mineral! Gabby Hayes and Raymond Hatton (San Quentin) co-star and future star George Montgomery (Roxie Hart) is a cowhand.

THE ARIZONA KID (1939) - During the Civil War, Roy and Gabby become Confederate scouts to try and get rid of a vicious outlaw gang. Dorothy Sebastian - former wife of William "Hopalong Cassidy" Boyd - plays the girlfriend of the outlaws' leader (songwriter Stuart Hamblen).

DAYS OF JESSE JAMES (1939) - Roy goes undercover as a member of the James gang in order to get to the bottom of a series of bank robberies. Don "Red" Barry (The Purple Heart) plays Jesse James, while Glenn Strange (House of Frankenstein) is Cole Younger.

THE RANGER AND THE LADY (1940) - While Sam Houston (Davison Clark of Reap the Wild Wind) is in Washington, trying to get Texas admitted to the Union, Texas Ranger Roy must deal with Houston's scheming assistant (Henry Brandon from March of the Wooden Soldiers), who is unfairly taxing Texans.

WEST OF THE BADLANDS (1940) - In an unintentional foreshadowing of The Fugitive, Roy plays a young doctor on the run from the law, falsely accused of a horrible crime. Popular character actor Joe Sawyer (The Roaring Twenties) is the ruthless leader of an outlaw gang.

Disc Two

YOUNG BILL HICKOK (1940) - Roy in the title role as the legendary lawman, entrusted with guarding a shipment of gold. Along the way, he gets mixed up with Calamity Jane (Sally Payne, who played Belle Starr opposite Roy the following year in Robin Hood of the Pecos).

YOUNG BUFFALO BILL (1940) - Once again, Roy plays a real-life (though highly fictionalized) western legend. Here, he and Gabby fight off a band of Indians while trying to straighten out a Spanish land grant in New Mexico. Pauline Moore (Young Mr. Lincoln) is the lovely damsel in distress.

BAD MAN OF DEADWOOD (1941) - Roy and Gabby try to restore law and order to the town of Deadwood, which is currently in the evil clutches of a tough gang leader (Hal Taliaferro of Red River). Cinema veteran Monte Blue (Orphans of the Storm) plays the sheriff.

ROBIN HOOD OF THE PECOS (1941) - Roy is a former Confederate soldier who has become a sort of Western Robin Hood and winds up becoming sheriff as he battles corrupt carpetbaggers. Cyrus Kendall (Crime School) is the main bad guy.

SHERIFF OF TOMBSTONE (1941) - In a change of pace, Gabby plays a judge who helps Roy clear his name after being mistaken for a ruthless gunslinger. Addison Richards (Boys Town) is Tombstone's corrupt mayor.

Disc Three

*HEART OF THE GOLDEN WEST (1942) - Roy, Gabby, Frog Millhouse (Smiley Burnette) and the Sons of the Pioneers help a group of ranchers who are being unjustly taxed for transporting their cattle. To circumvent the tax, Roy convinces an old riverboat captain (Walter Catlett of Bringing Up Baby) to let the cows ride down the river.

KING OF THE COWBOYS (1943) - Roy goes undercover to stop a gang of saboteurs who have been blowing up government warehouses to aid the Axis powers during World War II. Russell Hicks (The Bank Dick) plays the governor of Texas and Peggy Moran (The Mummy's Hand) is the damsel in distress.

*SILVER SPURS (1943) - Roy comes to the aid of a young widow who is being swindled out of her ranch by an unscrupulous opportunist (John Carradine of The Grapes of Wrath). Jerome Cowan (The Maltese Falcon) also appears and Trigger really gets a chance to strut his stuff in this one.

THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS (1944) - Roy goes undercover as an insurance investigator to solve a payroll robbery in this murder-mystery change-of-pace story. Dale Evans, in one of her first roles opposite Roy, plays the daughter of an escaped convict!

Disc Four

*HOME IN OKLAHOMA (1946) - Roy and Dale - in a sort of Western version of Tracy and Hepburn - are rival reporters trying to beat each other in getting the scoop on the murder of a millionaire rancher. Frank Reicher (Captain Englehorn in King Kong) appears as a lawyer.

MY PAL TRIGGER (1946) - Roy is unjustly blamed in the shooting death of Gabby's horse. Popular character actor Jack Holt (San Francisco) is the actual shooter. This film was reportedly a personal favorite of Roy's.

ROLL ON TEXAS MOON (1946) - Roy tries to stop a vicious range war between sheepherders and cattle ranchers that has been intentionally started by an unscrupulous businessman (Dennis Hoey, better known as Inspector Lestrade in the Sherlock Holmes series).

*APACHE ROSE (1947) - Roy is an oil prospector whose attempts to gain the drilling rights to a prize piece of land are thwarted by a gang of ruthless gamblers who operate from an offshore boat. George Meeker (The Roaring Twenties) leads the gambling gang.

THE BELLS OF SAN ANGELO (1947) - Roy is a border guard who suspects (correctly) that is smuggling silver out of a Mexican mine and "planting" it in his own worthless silver mine! John McGuire (Sands of Iwo Jima) is the culprit, and movie favorite Andy Devine (Stagecoach) plays the sheriff!

Disc Five

SPRINGTIME IN THE SIERRAS (1947) - Roy tries to stop a gang of poachers from killing deer in violation of local hunting regulations and winds up locking horns with the leader of the gang - who happens to be a very attractive woman (Stephanie Bachelor from Lady of Burlesque). Once again, Andy Devine plays the sheriff, and old timer Chester Conklin plays an Old Timer.

THE GAY RANCHERO (1948) - Sheriff Roy tries to stop a gang of crooks from taking over an airport by sabotaging the planes. Crooner Tito Guizar (Mexico's version of the singing cowboy) plays an ex-bullfighter who comes to America to find the girl of his dreams.

GRAND CANYON TRAIL (1948) - A gullible sheriff (Andy Devine again) is duped into investing in a worthless silver mine. Jane Frazee (Buck Privates) is the comic female foil, while Laurel and Hardy nemesis James Finlayson (Way Out West) plays another sheriff.

THE FAR FRONTIER (1948) - Where else can you see Roy Rogers, the Lone Ranger, Annie Oakley and Jingles Jones, all in one movie? That's because Clayton Moore (The Lone Ranger), Gail Davis (Annie Oakley), and Andy Devine (The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok) join Roy in this timely story about the smuggling of illegals from Mexico into the U.S.

UNDER CALIFORNIA SKIES (1948) - Roy plays singing-cowboy movie star "Roy Rogers" in this "backstage" story about the celebration of Roy's ten years in movies, spoiled by the sudden kidnapping of Trigger. Child star Michael Chapin (Call Northside 777) is caught up in the danger.

* First Time on DVD

Customer Reviews:

ROY FANS - BEWARE OF THIS DVD SET.......2007-08-06

I've been collecting western DVDs for quite some time. I picked this up with great interest as it contains some real rarities like APACHE ROSE and HEARTS OF THE GOLDEN WEST.

This collection contains some of the worst multigenerational "transfers" I have ever seen of largely public domain material. Many of the features are unwatchable and most of them seem to be missing their main title sequences! For example, both APACHE ROSE and the rare BELLS OF SAN ANGELO begin AFTER the credits, as the cast sings an opening song. The transfers, as I said, are unwatchable... you'd be far better suited to pick up the Platinum multi-feature Great American Western collections or the excellent quality 8 film DIAMOND DVD set. For that matter, the rare and out of print HAPPY TRAILS THEATER discs feature wraparounds with Dale and Roy and pretty good transfers. The Goodtimes Home Video versions are heavily edited for TV, averaging 45-48 minutes (edited down even from the original Hollywood Television Service TV prints from the 50s, which ran 53:30. I'd also recommend the first five (and very rare) Happy Trails Theater DVDs, on the "Hollywood's Attic" label, which contained complete and restored versions of BELLS OF SAN ANGELO, SUNSET SERENADE, SONG OF UTAH, SAGA OF DEATH VALLEY and SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. BELLS OF SAN ANGELO, in particular, is a great disc, running over 90 minutes and boasting William Witney guest hosting with Roy and Dale, lots of on-set stories and behind-the-scenes home movies of the film in production. But to recap, avoid THE ULTIMATE ROY ROGERS COLLECTION like the plague.

"King of the Cowboys ... Roy Rogers ... Ultimate Collection ... Passport Video".......2007-07-10

Koch and Passport Video presents "ULTIMATE ROY ROGERS COLLECTION", Roy and the gang saddle up for 25 good old-fashioned oaters in this five-disc collection --- definitive B-Westerns filmography of two American icons for more than sixty years of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans --- whose accounts of thrilling adventures of B-Western heroes during the Saturday matinees of yesteryear takes us back to our childhood, family and friends --- each film shows how Rogers and Evans displayed their Christian faith into their performances, each testifying the longevity of their careers, inclusive radio logs, discographics, filmographics and comicgraphics for historians, collectors and fans, this is a wish come true, reliving those wonderful years from the past through this ultimate collection.

Disc #1 -- The Ultimate Roy Rogers Collection King of the Cowboys
"WALL STREET COWBOY" (1939) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes and Raymond Hatton.
"THE ARIZONA KID" (1939) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes and George Montgomery
"DAYS OF JESSE JAMES" (1939) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes and Don "Red" Barry
"THE RANGER AND THE LADY" (1940) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes and Harry Woods
"WEST OF THE BADLANDS" (1940) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes and Joe Sawyer

Disc #2 -- The Ultimate Roy Rogers Collection King of the Cowboys
"YOUNG BILL HICKOK" (1940) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes, Jack Ingram and Iron Eyes Cody
"YOUNG BUFFALO BILL" (1940) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes and Chief Thundercloud
"BAD MAN OF DEADWOOD" (1941) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes and Henry Brandon
"ROBIN OOD OF THE PECOS" (1941) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes and Marjorie Reynolds
"SHERIFF OF TOMBSTONE" (1941) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes and Harry Woods

Disc #3 -- The Ultimate Roy Rogers Collection King of the Cowboys
"SUNSET SERENADE" (1942) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes, Bob Nolan and Roy Barcroft
"HEART OF THE GOLDEN WEST" (1942) - Joseph Kane (Director), Gabby Hayes, Smiley Burnette and Bob Nolan
"KING OF THE COWBOYS" (1943) - Joseph Kane (Director), Smiley Burnette, Bob Nolan and Gerald Mohr
"SILVER SPURS" (1943) - Joseph Kane (Director), Smiley Burnette, Bob Nolan and John Carradine
"THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS" (1944) - Joseph Kane (Director), Dale Evans, Bob Nolan and Grant Withers

Disc #4 -- The Ultimate Roy Rogers Collection King of the Cowboys
"HOME IN OKLAHOMA" (1946) - William Witney (Director), Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans and Bob Nolan
"MY PAL TRIGGER" (1946) - Frank McDonald (Director), Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans, Bob Nolan and Jack Holt
"ROLL ON TEXAS MOON" (1946) - William Witney (Director), Gabby Hayes, Dale Evans and Bob Nolan
"APACHE ROSE" (1947) - William Witney (Director), Dale Evans, LeRoy Mason, Terry Frost and Bob Nolan
"THE BELLS OF SAN ANGELO" (1947) - William Witney (Director), Dale Evans, Andy Devine and Bob Nolan

Disc #5 -- The Ultimate Roy Rogers Collection King of the Cowboys
"SPRINGTIME IN THE SIERRAS" (1947) - William Witney (Director), Andy Devine, Bob Nolan and Roy Barcroft
"THE GAY RANCHERO" (1948) - William Witney (Director), Andy Devine, Bob Nolan and LeRoy Mason
"GRAND CANYON TRAIL" (1948) - William Witney (Director), Andy Devine, Robert Livingston and Roy Barcroft
"THE FAR FRONTIER" (1948) - William Witney (Director), Andy Devine, Clayton Moore, Gail Davis and Roy Barcroft
"UNDER CALIFORNIA SKIES" (1948) - William Witney (Director), Andy Devine and Bob Nolan

BIOS:
1. Roy Rogers (aka: Leonard Franklin Slye)
Birth Date: 11/05/1911 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Died: 7/06/1998 - Apple Valley, California

2. Dale Evans (aka: Frances Octavia Smith)
Birth Date: 10/31/1912 - Uvalde, Texas
Died: 2/07/2001 - Apple Valley, California

3. George "Gabby" Hayes (aka: George Francis Hayes)
Birth Date: 5/07/1885 - Wellsville, New York
Died: 2/09/1969 - Burbank, CA

Roy was a top box office draw for Republic Pictures...when you went to see him on the big screen, you got exactly what the marquee said...plenty of thrills, action and hard riding with a song or two thrown in for good measure...Roy was a member of several music groups named the Hollywood Hillbillies, Rocky Mountaineers, Texas Outlaws, and his own group, the International Cowboys...then came 1934 he formed a group with Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer called the 'Sons of the Pioneers'...he was known as Leonard Slye, then Dick Weston, and finally Roy Rogers...in 1937 Roy went solo and made his first starring film in "Under Western Stars" (1938), featuring Smiley Burnette (Gene Autry's old sidekick), Earle Dwire, Jack Rockwell, Earle Hodgins, Jack Ingram and of course Trigger the smartest horse in the movies...Roy appeared in almost 100 films...then came television with "The Roy Rogers Show"(1951) ran on CBS television network from October 1951 through September 1964.

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc), Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") and Trevor Scott (Down Under Com) as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Passport Entertainment --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 5 DVD Set ~ Passport Video ~ (4/10/2007)

good deal.......2007-04-20

The transfer is clean so far.watched 6 movies.
My complain is that the films are not full copies. They are around 50 minutes each.The music is missing.Hey what do you want for 15$

Average customer rating:

"a fella doesn't get any place unless he tries"
A lesser known Wayne Classic
Popular Wayne Civil War -Era 'Western' Still Shines!
On to Kansas
interesting and rare John Wayne movie

Dark Command
Starring: Claire Trevor , John Wayne , Walter Pidgeon , Roy Rogers , and George 'Gabby' Hayes
Director: Raoul Walsh
Manufacturer: Republic Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

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All Titles | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 0782011195
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Amazon.com

Historically dubious but vigorously entertaining, Dark Command is the best of John Wayne's many movies for Republic (not counting Wayne's lovely producing debut Angel and the Badman and those two John Ford films). Set in "Bleeding Kansas" just before and during the Civil War, it highlights the romantic triangle of amiable but unschooled Texan Wayne, banker's daughter Claire Trevor, and schoolmaster Walter Pidgeon--just long enough for the earnest pedagogue to become embittered, turn into bushwhacker William Quantrill (here Cantrell), and start wreaking havoc in the Border States. This was Republic's first star vehicle for Wayne, following his breakthrough in Stagecoach (away from Republic), and it's an uncharacteristically impressive production: good writers working from a W.R. Burnett novel, Raoul Walsh brought in to direct, music by Victor Young, and strong costars and supporting cast (Marjorie Main, Porter Hall, Raymond Walburn--and Roy Rogers and Gabby Hayes!). Wayne himself is delightful. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

In this pre-civil War saga, Walter Pigeon, as Confederate renegade William Cantrell, along with his raiders, clashes with the new marshal of Kansas City, Bob Seton (John Wayne). Their long-standing rivalry of love and power reaches dangerous proportions when Seton exposes Cantrell and his guerillas, who have been raiding both Union and Confederate lines. Roy Rogers co-stars in one of his earliest film roles.

Customer Reviews:

"a fella doesn't get any place unless he tries".......2007-05-28

This was director Raoul Walsh's second film with Wayne as the male lead. The first, "The Big Trail", was Wayne's first big film role, having just acquired his new stage name. Unfortunately, this very expensive film, as one of the first talkie westerns, was a box office bomb, with Wayne unfairly shouldering most of the blame. The present film is a mixed western-Civil War drama set in bleeding Kansas. Wayne has plenty of support from a cast of well known actors in this well paced drama/comedy.
Claire Trevor is actually given top billing as the belle around which Wayne, Walter Pigeon and a young Roy Rogers revolve. It seems highly implausible that Wayne, as illiterate drifter Bob Seton, should become infatuated with prim snobbish Claire Trevor, nor that she could ever consider him husband material. Wayne's persistence in promoting this union, even after her marriage, is a recurring source of comedy and drama. Initially, another source of comedy is the recently established working partnership between Wayne and immimical Gabby Hayes, a one time doctor, reformulated as a traveling dentist, barber and whatever else he can fix for you. Character actor Raymond Walburn also provides comedic touches as the bug-eyed stammering stuffed shirt of a judge and apparent mayor of Lawrence, Kansas. Roy Rogers looks rather incongruous as the frustrated brother of Claire, under his father's overbearing thumb, who yearns for the excitement of being a cowboy or soldier. His hot head nearly gets him strung up or otherwise killed. Wayne, on the other hand, with the backing of Gabby, changes from an apparent hot head into an honest coolheaded sheriff. Walter Pigeon is the eloquent-speaking legally literate but financially struggling rival of Wayne for the affections of Claire and for the office of sheriff. The striking contrast in personalities and skills of Wayne and Pigeon in their various competitions is another recurring source of comedy and drama throughout the film. We wonder why Pigeon, with his obvious gift for oratory and knowledge of law, is a poorly paid schoolteacher instead of a lawyer. We suspect that he has been a lawyer, but was forced to resign for some transgressions. In engineering Roger's murder defense, we see for the first time the snake that he is under all that eloquence. From his mother's comments, we are led to believe that the desire to do unethical things is a family trait he inherited or was taught.
Things get a lot more serious and complicated as the story progresses. Pigeon,as William Cantrell, knows he is a natural leader of men. Frustrated in obtaining a prominent position in the legal establishment of Lawrence, he organizes a large band of outlaws, posing as Confederate soldiers, as did his historical counterpart, William Quantrell. The film title may suggest this evil gang of thieves and murderers, or it may equally suggest the fact that most of the violent and smuggling confrontations occur at night. Pigeon faces the difficult task of trying to justify or hide from his new wife his rapacious activities. The continuing back and forth relationships between Rogers, Wayne, Pigeon and Claire provide much of the continuing drama of the film.

A lesser known Wayne Classic.......2007-03-05

This movie solidified Wayne's place as a western star after Stagecoach. It is a rollicking fun western that has plenty of action. A really amazing cast was assembled for this film starting with Claire Trevor (of Stagecoach) and Walter Pidgeon. Gabby Hayes and Roy Rogers round out the stars of this movie. This is just a joy to watch. The pace never falters and it delivers plenty of fights. Find out if the illiterate cowboy from Texas can overcome the learned teacher who becomes the leader of a vast outlaw band during the Civil War. Will John Wayne get the girl? Forget that I asked. Get this movie.

Popular Wayne Civil War -Era 'Western' Still Shines!.......2006-11-03

"Dark Command" is a rip-roaring, entertaining 1940 John Wayne western with plenty of excitement, romance, and comedy, and it offers one of his most engaging pre-WWII performances, as illiterate but straight-shooting Texan 'Bob Seton', wooing Claire Trevor while defending Lawrence, Kansas as the Civil War erupts.

The film is significant in Wayne's career, as it acknowledged his emergence as a major star by the studio (Republic Pictures) who had produced the bulk of his 'quickie' westerns over the previous decade (in their previous incarnation, 'Lone Star' films). With the success of John Ford's "Stagecoach", Wayne's value to the young studio increased dramatically, as a commodity that could be 'loaned out' to major studios for a tidy profit, but without 'quality' Wayne films of their own, his 'bankability' wouldn't last, so Republic mounted a major production, with a top director (Warner's Raoul Walsh, who had helmed the Duke's ill-fated 'starring' debut, "The Big Trail", nearly a decade earlier), a first-class cast (including Trevor, in her third pairing with Wayne in less than two years, and MGM star Walter Pidgeon), and a terrific screenplay (based on a story by respected author W.R. Burnett). Wisely including their most popular character actor, Gabby Hayes, for comic relief, and rising star Roy Rogers (who, surprisingly, doesn't sing!) in support, the end result would not only build upon Wayne's rising status as a major star, but would give the studio credibility within the industry as more than a 'B' picture factory.

While the history covered in "Dark Command" is largely fabricated (with infamous mercenary William Quantrill reinvented as a more urbane, if equally dangerous 'William Cantrell', portrayed by Pidgeon), Walsh never lets the 'facts' interfere with the action, and the end result certainly delivers!

Definitely a 'keeper'!

On to Kansas .......2005-09-07

DARK COMMAND is a good, old-fashioned western. The movie takes places in Kansas on the eve of the Civil War. Not just anywhere in Kansas, either - the movie's set in bloody Lawrence, the hotbed of guerilla activity during that war. Perhaps no guerilla leader was more notorious than Kansas's William Quantrill, the school teacher turned raider who fought against the Union until his death in 1865.

Although DARK COMMAND is a work of fiction, it doesn't try hard to hide its sources. DARK COMMAND is adapted from a novel by the talented and prolific W.R. Burnett, whose Hollywood credits include either the based-on novel and/or screenplay for such action classics as Little Caesar, the original Scarface, The Asphalt Jungle, High Sierra, and dozens of others. John Wayne plays a roustabout Texan named Bob Seton who's traveling through with dentist/barber/sidekick Andrew `Doc' Grunch (George `Gabby' Hayes.) While in Lawrence Seton meets and immediately falls for pretty Miss Mary McCloud (Claire Trevor), local belle and daughter of the president of the town's bank, a Virginian (where you were from counted a lot in Kansas prior to the Civil War.) Seton's competitor for the affections of pretty Miss McCloud, and a bit later for the office of town marshal, is schoolteacher William Cantrell (Walter Pidgeon.) That the real life Quantrill was also a Lawrence, Kansas schoolteacher is, well, probably something more than a coincidence.

Of course, Cantrell loses both the election and the heart, if not the hand, of Miss McCloud to Seton. As filtered through the Hollywood lense that's more than enough justification to embark on a campaign of pillage and murder, which Pidgeon's Cantrell proceeds to do with a certain amount of righteous dignity. Raoul Walsh, whose last movie before this one was the classic gangster movie `The Roaring Twenties,' directed DARK COMMAND with his usual relentless flair. Also in 1939, the young John Wayne had finally broken through to the a-list after playing the Ringo Kid in John Ford's `Stagecoach.' `Stagecoach' co-star Clair Trevor is billed above Wayne on the credits, but this is very much a John Wayne movie. The two principals, director Walsh and star Wayne, were at strong points in their careers and this movie did nothing to derail them. Wayne wasn't an icon yet but he had the moves down - he's shy and awkward around the women folk, toweringly commanding with men. One of the text extras on the film quotes Walsh's observation that `Wayne had learned to walk and talk' by the time DARK COMMAND was filmed, and if you watch some of Wayne's earlier b-movies you'd have to agree with Walsh's shrewd assessment.

I've seen a handful of Raoul Walsh movies in the past year and enjoy them tremendously. Pidgeon's Cantrell seems to be a prototypical Walsh heavy - he's erudite, urbane and refined, and, we suspect, substantially smarter than the hero. If Hollywood was about to fall in love with Freud Walsh definitely wasn't leading the charge. Even the presence of a maternal housekeeper, played in American Gothic style by Marjorie Main, doesn't do anything to explain what makes Cantrell tick. Cantrell is a Walsh villain, which means he's evil because he's evil and that's that. We'll have to understand him through action rather than introspection. In lesser hands this would leave us with a scowling, carpet-chewing bad guy. But DARK VICTORY'S script is tight, Walsh was a master at action dramas, and Pidgeon is too good an actor - he never drops Cantrell's courtly façade, and he's all the more a menace for it.

Fans of old b-westerns will get a kick out of seeing a (very) young Roy Rogers and `Gabby' Hayes together in the same movie before they became cinema trail mates. Hayes' slightly mush-mouthed `gol-durn-it' routine can be grating, but Walsh uses him as a relatively subtle comic foil to good effect. If you've watched a few too many b-westerns chances are you'll find oddly touching the one scene between Hayes and Rogers. Rogers is in mortal danger and Hayes is his best and only hope. Hayes drops the Gabby act and lets George take over. It's a nice way for Walsh, through Hayes, to turn the tension up a notch and let us know that this is important. It's been my experience that Walsh's movies are filled with such nice touches, and it's one reason why I like them so much. DARK COMMAND has more than enough going for it to rate a strong recommendation. The script is good, performances are uniformly strong, and Walsh is a master at keeping things moving. It's a great early John Wayne western.

interesting and rare John Wayne movie.......2000-08-20

This Civil War era movie was very interesting as it tried to follow a generalized campaign of the very infamous Captain Quantrell, the Confederate leader of raiding party's into the North. This was not one of John Wayne's best pictures but it ranks up there as being rare and informative. A must see for true John Wayne fans.

Average customer rating:

Back in the saddle again
Cowboy singer turned owner of the Angels

Gene Autry 10 Movie Pack
Starring: Gene Autry , Smiley Burnette , George 'Gabby' Hayes , Clayton Moore , and Ken Maynard
Manufacturer: Pop Flix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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ASIN: B000ILYYAI
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Description

THE "SINGING COWBOY" IN TEN TIMELESS WESTERNS! Co-starring Patricia Barry, Jimmy Lloyd, Smiley Burnette, Polly Rowles, Carol Hughes, George Cheseboro, Earl Hodgins, and more!

Riders of the Whistling Pines (1949) 70 min B&W; Springtime in the Rockies (1937) 56 min B&W; Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm (1937) 55 min B&W; In Old Santa Fe (1934) 64 min B&W; Man from Music Mountain (1938) 54 min B&W; Man of the Frontier (1936) 54 Min B&W; Oh, Susanna! (1936) 54 Min B&W; Rim of the Canyon (1949) 70 Min B&W; Public Cowboy No.1 (1937) 53 Min B&W; Round-Up Time in Texas (1937) 54 Min B&W.

Customer Reviews:

Back in the saddle again.......2007-08-31

If Gene Autry is remembered at all these days, it's probably for his classic recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Sports fans may recall that Autry was the popular owner of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team. But, once upon a time in the early 1930s, unassuming Gene Autry was THE singing cowboy. Some years before Roy Rogers came along we had Gene, his horse Champion, his guitar and the Melody Ranch.

Dozens of hour-length westerns in the Autry catalog are a fine testament to this decent man who once entertained legions of fans with his clean-cut yet exciting cowboy films. Ten of those fine old westerns are offered on this DVD set, so grab your Stetson and spurs, pard and let's get "back in the saddle again!"

Eight of these, plus an incredibly diverse selection of cowboy films are on the WESTERN CLASSICS 100 MOVIE PACK.

.
Parenthetical numbers preceding titles are 1 to 10 viewer poll ratings found at a film resource website.

(6.1) In Old Santa Fe (1934) - Ken Maynard/George "Gabby" Hayes/Gene Autry
(6.0) Man From Music Mountain (1938) - Gene Autry/Smiley Burnette
(5.9) Man Of The Frontier ("Red River Valley") (1936) - Gene Autry/Smiley Burnette
(5.7) Oh, Susanna! (1936) - Gene Autry/Smiley Burnette/The Light Crust Doughboys
(5.9) Public Cowboy No. 1 (1937) - Gene Autry/Smiley Burnette
(6.6) Riders Of The Whistling Pines 1949 - Gene Autry/Clayton Moore/The Pinafores
(6.2) Rim Of The Canyon (1949) - Gene Autry/Alan Hale Jr.
(5.9) Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm (1937) -Gene Autry/Smiley Burnette/Frankie Marvin
(5.7) Round-Up Time In Texas (1937) - Gene Autry/Smiley Burnette
(6.4) Springtime In The Rockies (1937) - Gene Autry/Smiley Burnette

Cowboy singer turned owner of the Angels.......2007-07-03

Who wouldn't like Gene Autry, the perfect cowboy hero? Well, he couldn't act worth a lick. His movie characters were one dimensionable. The plots were shallow and more than a bit obvious. His singing sometimes erupted at strange moments. Still, these B movies evoke Saturday mornings at the Madison Theater in Mansfield, Ohio, of my youth when I judged not harshly and enjoyed more. Why else would I like these 10 examples of Autry's work?

As he grew older and could not longer play the romantic lead, could no longer sit a horse with some realism, he used the money he made to acquire the Los Angeles Angels baseball team. The players loved him, as movie fans had loved him. Apparently he had an aura of goodness about his head. That aura is still there, as I watched these movies.

Average customer rating:

Johnson Family Vacation
GREAT MOVIE
Pointless
stall out
Probadly Up there With Worst FIlms Of All-Time

Johnson Family Vacation
Starring: Cedric the Entertainer , Vanessa Williams (VII) , Solange Knowles , Bow Wow , and Gabby Soleil
Director: Christopher Erskin
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Domestic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0002B14UW
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Amazon.com

Cedric the Entertainer (Barbershop, Intolerable Cruelty) lends his stubborn, skeptical charm to Johnson Family Vacation. Though separated from his wife (Vanessa Williams, Soul Food, Shaft), Nate Johnson (Cedric) pulls his family together so that they can compete for an award at the Johnson family reunion. Of course, the road trip from California to Missouri--featuring a sexy but crazy hitchhiker, motel high jinks, and an afternoon in jail--threatens to split up the family permanently. The humor of Johnson Family Vacation is rambling and ridiculous--for example, Williams fools Cedric into taking his swim trunks off in a motel hot tub, then leaves him to tiptoe through the motel naked. But Cedric and Williams both have undeniable charisma; together, they carry this shaggy dog of a movie through its more lackadaisacal moments. Also featuring Bow Wow, Solange Knowles, Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie), and Steve Harvey (Love Don't Cost a Thing). --Bret Fetzer

Description

Buckle up for the wildest road trip of the year! Cedric the Entertainer leads an all-star cast in this hilarious comedy adventure about a misfit family trying to survive outrageous obstacles (including each other) on a cross-country trek to their annual f

Customer Reviews:

Johnson Family Vacation.......2007-01-13

Cedric is excellent along with the rest of the cast. Better laughs than a Chevy Chase run.

GREAT MOVIE.......2006-10-18

I THINK JOHNSON FAMILY VACATION WAS A VERY HILARIOUS MOVIE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE MAJORITY OF ALL THE BAD REVIEWS I HAD READ. MY GUESS IS THEY DON'T LIKE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN VERSION OF THE SO CALLED CLASSIC CHEVY CHASE MOVIE. THIS MOVIE WAS SO FUNNY ! I LOVED THE PART WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PIMPED OUT AND WHEN NATE AND HIS SON D.J. HAD IT OUT ABOUT THE CDS AND THREW THE CDS OUT OF THE WINDOW. THE MOVIE BECAME MORE AND MORE FUNNY WHEN THE FAMILY WERE AT FUN WORLD AND NATE RAN INTO THE CHEF MAKING DESTINY'S BIRTHDAY CAKE HAHAHAHAHA. I ESPECIALLY LOVED STEVE HARVEY WHEN HE CONSTANTLY TAUNTED HIS BROTHER. THIS WAS A GREAT MOVIE I RECOMMEND IT IF U R HAVING A BAD DAY OR JUST WANT SOMETHING FUNNY TO WATCH.

Pointless.......2006-03-11

I felt this was a very poor imitation of the classic Chevy Chase vacation movies. This is about a road trip with a few supposedly hillarious twists and turns which left me unimpressed.
On a personal note, I found the main character's habit of throwing notebooks,soda cups and CDs out of the window of a moving car obnoxious. Littering is neither funny nor cool.

stall out.......2006-02-16

**1/2

In "Johnson Family Vacation," which is little more than an all-black version of the National Lampoon Vacation movies from twenty or so years ago, Nate Johnson loads his wife and three kids into the car and drives from their home in Los Angeles to a family reunion in Missouri. Along the way, of course, the family meets with a series of comic misadventures that threaten to prevent them from reaching their destination.

Despite the derivative storyline, the early scenes in the film exhibit a kind of playful spirit that bodes well for the rest of the movie. This is due in no small measure to Cedric the Entertainer, who, unlike so many of the comics who appear in these types of movies, doesn't feel the need to stand apart from the material in order to draw attention to himself. Indeed, it is the laid-back, unfussy way in which he delivers his lines that makes them so funny. He is also blessed with an attractive supporting cast that includes Vanessa Williams as his long-suffering wife and Bow Wow as his mouthy but generally good-hearted teenage son. The movie even includes some clever little satirical jabs at the accoutrements and symbols of modern-day black culture as Nate, the traditionalist, who listens to `70`s soul on his worn-out 8-tracks, goes toe-to-toe with his adolescent gansta' rap children.

But as the Johnsons tootle their way across country in their souped-up SUV, we begin to notice that the film itself has stalled out. About halfway through, it dawns on us that the movie isn't really going anywhere, that it is merely playing out variations on incidents we've seen earlier in the film, and that the set pieces and situations aren`t nearly as interesting or outrageous as they should be. This is truly a pity because, given the attractive cast, we really want to like "Johnson Family Vacation" more than we ultimately do.

Still, all things considered, this makes for a reasonable diverting, mindless time at the movies, and Cedric the Entertainer's moniker has rarely seemed so apt.

Probadly Up there With Worst FIlms Of All-Time.......2006-01-26

Wow the crap hollywood throws at The world is incredible and insulting , This film shouldnt even be in existance, Not One funny part I Didnt laught not one time,Crappy reused jokes and plots, THis is the same old crap you've seen hundreds of times,It gets to the point when i ask myself are they even trying, do they make films so bad purposely?? People Take my advice stay away and you might save yourself from this horrible movie(well this doesnt deserve the word movie it suits better when called Cow Crap

Average customer rating:

Bells of Innocence - Chuck Norris
I really wanted to like this movie, but...
Silliest movie i've seen in a long time
Christian Zombie Western Supernatural Horror Buddy Film
Original, Mesmerizing Thriller

Bells of Innocence
Starring: Chuck Norris , Mike Norris , Carey Scott , David A.R. White , and Marshall R. Teague
Director: Ali Bijan
Manufacturer: Good Times Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0001KREGC
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Customer Reviews:

Bells of Innocence - Chuck Norris.......2007-07-20

Great message of faith. Also alerts you to the fact that we must at all times protect our children because the enemy (satan) is out to destroy them. They are our future.

I really wanted to like this movie, but..........2007-01-03

I got this DVD to show it to my friends from Church around Halloween. I really wanted to like it because it is a Christian film and because it has Chuck Norris in it. But it was really bad. The acting was bad, the dialogue and story were silly and there was hardly any action. I decided that I would not put my Christian friends through this punishment and I never watched it with them. I will probably trade this movie for something else at a local movie trading store.

Silliest movie i've seen in a long time.......2007-01-02

"Bells of Innocence" is about three guys who are flying to Mexico in a small plane to deliver bibels. Their plane runs out of oil and they have to land in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in Texas. They find a small town where there is no phone and everybody's acting strange, especially the children. Chuck Norris appears as a mysterious man with a horse. After a while it turns out the town has been taken over by the devil or something like that and that our three christian heroes must save the children.

Even though I know that whenever a film stars David A.R. White, the film is always some sort of christian propaganda, and usually not well made. Still, "Bells of Innocence" was surprisingly badly made. The special effects were what you might have expected from a 1960s movie, and all of the dialogue, and the entire story, was laughable.

If you're looking for a good movie, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a Chuck Norris movie, look elsewhere. He only plays a minor character. If you're looking for a movie that preaches christianity, this might do, and it's also worth watching if you like really bad movies, because it's so bad it's entertaining.

Christian Zombie Western Supernatural Horror Buddy Film.......2006-06-15

A gutsy and ingeniously approached spiritual warfare drama about battling demons, both one's own and in intercession. Intense and horrifying--as a movie dealing with Satan, soul stealing, and the horrors of hell should be. Mike Norris plays "Jux," a man out of fellowship and in a dark place personally after his wife left him, blaming him for their daughter's death. Yet Jux agrees to pilot his Christian buds Conrad and Oren to transport their collected Bibles to Mexico. The plane crashes outside "Ceres," a place that "doesn't even look like the planet Earth, man," "dirt, and a lot of sky," "not a place but a what." Hmmmm....Ceres, I recall from mythology, was the Roman name for the goddess who went looking for her daughter that was kidnapped by Hades. But that's not spoiling the movie, it's full of surprises--though yeah, it's about setting captives free. This movie's desert town of Ceres is populated by mark-bearing drones with superhuman strength and kids dressed like Little House on the Prairie...and then there's supercool "Michael," played by Chuck Norris, of course. "Bells of Innocence" caught my eye in the store at a time when I'd been praying for wisdom for what to do after I heard an other-worldly, threatening voice come out of a zombie-like shell of a person whose eyes normally were lifelessly void or displayed flashes of imprisoned fear, not the blazing hate that accompanied the demonic voice. Anyway, "Bells of Innocence" helped me to stand firm in faith, to strengthen my commitment to Jesus, to intercession, and to "fear not man who can kill the body but not the soul." My only reservation about the movie is that it's too scary for most kids. Everything else about it I found impressive: story, acting, music, production and underlying biblical message.

Original, Mesmerizing Thriller.......2006-04-12

Bells of Innocence is a thriller with a Christian faith-based theme, but is not too preachy, and succeeds in the creator's efforts to appeal to secular as well as religious audiences.

Chuck Norris stars as the mysterious Matthew, who assists three friends whose plane has crashed in a remote, sinister Texas town that is not found on any map. Mike Norris, Chuck's son, plays Jux, a tormented soul who has lost his faith with his young daughter's death. The three friends soon find themselves in a battle against Satan's minions for the souls of the town, and most importantly, the children who are being manipulated and used.

Though this film may be billed as a family movie, with no nudity or profanity, this is a dark thriller for adults. There are terrifying and violent scenes. The movie starts off slow, but it pulls the viewer in and scares you as bad as any secular horror film. Do not watch this film at night.

As far as those Amazon reviewers who have panned the film and said the acting was horrible, if they can genuinely cry as Mike Norris did in the climatic scene, then I would take their comments seriously. The acting was not horrible. It was solid, especially the villianious Joshua, played by Marshall Teague.

Very odd is that the only actor who WAS poor, David White (Conrad), looks exactly like Chuck Norris. I spent the entire movie thinking that White was Norris' son. Mike Norris in reality looks nothing like his father, and even looks the same age as Chuck. This movie is worth checking out just for this anamoly.

Average customer rating:

Great Serial, Badly Served
"The Lost City (1935) ... 12 Chapters Vintage Serial ... VCI Home Video"
Jungle Madness...
Lost City
"The King of Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ The Lost City (1935)"

Lost City:Serial Chapters 1 12
Starring: William 'Stage' Boyd , Kane Richmond , Claudia Dell , Josef Swickard , and George 'Gabby' Hayes
Director: Harry Revier
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007TKGLM
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Customer Reviews:

Great Serial, Badly Served.......2007-02-19

This very inexpensive release was made from an extremely chopped-up print, making it nearly unwatchable. The serial itself is a hoot - and is much better served by another release, priced higher and worth the difference.

"The Lost City (1935) ... 12 Chapters Vintage Serial ... VCI Home Video".......2006-12-22

VCI Entertainment, Super Serial Productions Inc, Sherman S. Krellberg present..."The Lost City" (1935) (Dolby digitally remastered), with 12 Chapters of vintage serial episodes loaded with jungle action sequences...story line takes us to Central Africa where there are disturbances threatening civilization ...could it be Magnetic Mountain is behind all of this and Bruce Gordon (Richmond) has invented a machine to locate and eliminate the problem...who is this scientific wizard Zolok (Boyd) and the inventor Dr.Manyus (Swickard) who does his evil bidding....will Zolok succeed in conquering the world with his giant African army of slaves...what strange power keeps Gorza (Bletcher) the dwarf in check, and will Appolyn (Frank) the strongman woo Natcha (Dell) daughter of Dr. Manyus into marriage...what can our hero Gordon do to stop the "Destroying Rays" and Zolok's evil intentions...has everyone gone bananas Prof. Reynolds (Lewis), Dr.Colton (Millman), Andrews (Moranti) and Butterfield (Hayes) all want to have Manyus the giant maker under their thumb...now enters more problems with Ben Ali (Corrado) and Queen Rama (D'Use) both up to no good slave traders, who want a piece of the action...now the big question is can Bruce Gordon and Jerry Delaney (Fetherston) save the good Dr. Manyus and thwart all who stand in their way, plus save the world within those exciting 12 Chapters......don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "The Mad Scientist"....just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss a single spine thrilling episode..return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter.

Under director Harry Revier, producer Sherman S. Krellberg, Original story by Dialogue director Zelma Carroll, Geo. M. Merrick and Robert Dillon, continuity by Perley Poore Sheehan, Eddy Graneman, Leon D'Usseau, dialogue director Zelma Carroll, musical score by Lee Zahler, special effects by Ken Strickfaden....the cast includes William Stage Boyd (Zolok), Kane Richmond (Bruce Gordon), Claudia Dell (Natcha Manyus), Josef Swickard (Dr. Manyus), George "Gabby" Hayes (Butterfield), Billy Bletcher (Gorzo), Eddie Fetherston (Jerry Delaney), Milburn Morante (Chet Andrews), Margot D'Use (Rama, Queen of the Wangas), Jerry Frank (Appollon), Ralph Lewis (Prof. Reynolds), William Millman (Dr. Colton), Gino Corrado (Sheikh Ben Ali), Sam Baker (Hugo, lead giant), Everett Brown (Boyo, a Giant)....special note that actor George Francis Hayes gained fame as Hopalong Cassidy's sidekick "Windy Halliday" between 1936-39 in the Cassidy B-Western series...after leaving the Hoppy films in 1940 he took the nickname of "Gabby" through some legal requests not to use "Windy", from then on he worked with Roy Rogers, John Wayne and Randolph Scott under the name of Gabby Hayes, became a favorite character in B-Westerns, was always in the Top Ten Western Box Office stars, inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 2000, and he deserved it you're durn tootin'....meanwhile back to our Super Serial which is always good till the last drop and this serial is no exception...there is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features.

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. Living Dead men
2. Tuinnel of Death
3. Dagger Rock
4. Doomed
5. Tiger Prey
6. Human Beasts
7. Spider Men
8. Human Targets
9. Jungle Vengeance
10.The Lion Pit
11.Death Ray
12.The Mad Scientist

BIOS:
1. William Stage Boyd (not to be confused with Hopalong Cassidy's William Boyd)
Birth Date:12/18/1889 - New York, New York
Died: 3/20/1935 - Los Angeles, CA (
2. Kane Richmond
Birth Date: 12/23/1906 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Died: 3/22/1973 - Corona Del Mar, CA
3. Claudia Dell
Birth Date:1/10/1909 - San Antonio, TX
Died: 9/05/1977 - Hollywood, CA
4. George "Gabby" Hayes (aka George Francis Hayes)
Birth Date: 5/07/1885 - Wellsville, New York
Died: 2/09/1969 - Burbank, CA
5. Josef Swickard
Birth Date: 6/26/1866 - Coblenz, Germany
Died: 2/29/1940 - Hollywood, CA
6. Harry J. Revier (Director)
Birth Date: 3/16/1889 - Philadelphia, PA
Died: 8/13/1957 - Winter Park, Florida

If you're into vintage serials as I am, why not pick up a copy of the following titles from VCI Home Video:
VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS:
1. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry)
2. Adventures of the Flying Cadets (Bobby Jordan)
3. Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe)
4. Captain Midnight (Dave O'Brien)
5. Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere (Judd Holdren & I. Stanford Jolley)
6. Dick Tracy's G-Men (Ralph Byrd)
7. Don Winslow of the Navy (Don Terry)
8. Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (Don Terry)
9. Drums of Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon)
10.Fighting Kit Carson (Johnny Mack Brown)
11.Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Buster Crabbe)
12.The Green Archer (Victory Jory)
13.Jungle Girl (Frances Gifford)
14.Jungle Jim (Grant Withers & Raymond Hatton)
15.Lost City of the Jungle (Russell Hayden & Keye Luke)
16.Mandrake the Magician (Warren Hull & Dick Curtis)
17.Miracle Rider (Tom Mix & Tony Jr)
18.The Painted Stallion (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
19.The Phantom (Tom Tyler)
20.The Return of Chandu (Bela Lugosi)
21.Riders of Death Valley (Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo & Buck Jones)
22.Secret Agent X-9 (1937) (Scott Kolk & Henry Brandon)
23.Secret Agent X-9 (1945) (Lloyd Bridges & Keye Luke)
24.Sky Raiders (Donald Woods & Billy Halop)
25.Undersea Kingdom (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
26.Winners of the West (Dick Foran, Harry Woods, Roy Barcroft & Charles Stevens)
27.Zane Greys "King of the Royal Mounted" (Allan "Rocky" Lane)
28.Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling)

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out VCI Entertainment where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns and Serials --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 265 mins on DVD ~ VCI Home Video ~ (12/19/2006)

Jungle Madness..........2006-09-09

This wacky, seemingly endless movie (the entire original is 3+ hours long) is a series of chases through tunnels and jungles, w/ dozens of fights tossed in! We've got the sinister Zolok, who is creating an army of giant zombies in his mountain lair! How? By using his brain-destroying machine and his enlarger of course! There's Bruce Gordon, electrical engineer and adventurer, out to stop Zolok's evil plot! We also get Queen Rhama (who is actually pretty hot), seductress and slave-trader, who wants an army of giants of her own! Then there's Butterfield, who is seeking his own fortune, at everyone elses expense! There's even an arabian sultan and his army! Not to mention the tribe of white african natives, turned white by Dr. Manuse, a scientist w/ a freeze-gun and a beautiful daughter! Whew! I didn't even mention the muscle-man or the hunchback! LC is a lot of fun in places, but tends to drag on... and on! Queen Rhama really is a hottie though!...

Lost City.......2006-03-15

The serial is as I remembered it. It was well done for a B-serial. William "Stage" Boyd played the crazied ruler of the Lost City to perfection. The print used to make the DVD was indeed a good copy and the sound is good. This actor is not to be confused with William Hopalong Cassidy Boyd.
earlsqay@yahoo.com

"The King of Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ The Lost City (1935)".......2005-11-30