Question Words

Very Good DVD
Any DVD that's educational and my son loves it, I automatically love it too:) This DVD taught him a lot about question words and he is now using most of them in the right context which is most pleasing to me.





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Phrase By Phrase Guitar Method - Randy Rhoads (w/ Ozzy Osbourne)

Comprehensive, Understandable, Song Dissection
Wow, I don't really know what more to say about Mark John Sternal's ability to concisely and comprehensively communicate difficult guitar concepts in such a way that makes it seem easy. I own several of his DVDs and he is always able to help you understand in ways that elude most guitar teachers. Sternal is very detailed, yet concise so you do not get bored. The content of this DVD would probably take many months to go over with an in-person instructor and cost a fews hundred dollars. And, yet, you get all of that on one DVD for less than $15 bucks. Sternal doesn't hold anything back. I like that he splits the screen and shows you a close-up of his hands while simultaneously displaying the tab notation. I can't say how helpful that is rather than having to look at a book. The only couple minor issues that I have with the DVD are that the tablature staff tends to flicker and distract a little. And, I would have also liked to have seen a couple other popular songs that were...

Great help when you get stuck
Mark John Sternal does an amazing job in interpreting Randy Rhoads on guitar. The structure moves chronologically through each song (listed in the description) and is played slowly and the tab is demonstrated in each section to assist learning the piece. Sometimes even bar by bar when necessary. The section(s) are then put together at tempo to give you the example of how it fits in context to the song. The fills and nuances that permeate Randy's playing are also covered in reasonable detail. This includes all the variations Randy played in the studio recordings, live shows and alternate revision. It would have been nice to actually see a performance of the song from start to finish to get the whole example down. But this is in no way a problem as by the time you complete the song, you should have it down anyway, especially if you play along with the recordings.

Highly recommended if you get stuck on any particular riff/fill/technique or solo that you may be struggling...



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Jing Yoga "energizing"

Great blend of challenging yoga, Tai Chi breathing, and gorgeous setting but too pricey
I absolutely loved this as a $1.99 instant video rental but the $24.99 price to add it to my streaming library was just too much for me to part with. I would definitely purchase at a lower price point,say $10 lower :-), so I'll keep an eye on it.

Excellent
This video was great for beginner/intermediate level yoga. It was a good pace and allowed me to focus while doing the most basic yoga poses and flows, with some added variation with arm movements. It is also in a beautiful setting which I enjoyed.

Balanced and Rooted Energy
I purchased this yoga video with Amazon Instant in hopes of energizing myself for the day, and I am very pleased. The flow of poses allowed me to pay attention to my energy and focus myself. The prayer at the end was particularly helpful in focusing my intent for the day (and beyond).

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Imax Ultimate Collection

Ultimate IMAX
here is a listing for those interested:

1. Space Station
2. Mission to Mir
3. Blue Planet
4. Destiny in Space
5. Cosmic Voyage
6. First City in Space
7. The Dream is Alive
8. Hail Columbia!
9. Deep Sea
10. Into the Deep
11. Galapagos
12. survival island
13. Hidden Dimension
14. Secret of Life on Earth
15. China: the Panda Adventure
16. Mountain Gorilla
17. NASCAR: the IMAX Experience
18. Mark Twain`s America
19. Fires of Kuwait
20. T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous.

3D Review by a 3D Connoisseur
My ratings are based mainly on the QUALITY OF THE 3D, not the video content.

In addition to the title scenes 5 more out of screen effects extend an impressive 50% of the way, from the screen to the viewer. Another 20 reached 25% or more and many are in the 5 to 10% range.

EXCESS PARALLAX in a few of the scenes make it hard to mentally assemble the 3D.

Far better than Wild Ocean in every respect

*** Visually stunning sea floor & creature footage in crystal clear 3D ***

MY 3D RATING = VERY GOOD (poor, fair, good, very good, excellent)

Note: As far as the percentages go, everyone's eyes are different. What I see at 25% you may see at 15% or 35%. To fully realize how far something is out of the screen for you, pause on an effect and direct a partner with an extended finger to the tip of what you are seeing. You may be surprised.

Click on `See all my reviews' for the lowdown on other 3Ds

AMAZING 3D MOVIE..... But not for the price!
As I write this review the price on this sucker is $37.99! Maybe that wouldn't be so bad if it was a full length movie with a DVD and digital copy however you are just getting a 3d disc and a blu-ray disc with 40 minutes of film (You are basically paying $1 for each minute!)

Aside from the price the movie is GREAT! I was lucky enough to get this movie free with my sony 3d tv and it is definitely great to show off to friends! As I said... its about 40 minutes long and includes some of the most beautiful under sea shots you'll ever see. As far as the 3D effects go, it won't disappoint you! The 3D gives you the depth effect as it should in an ocean setting. It really looks as though you can walk straight through your tv and swim with the sharks (don't try that at home). Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet do a great job narrating while Danny Elfman gives us some fun music to listen to!

Overall i give it 4 stars with the price not being an involvement. It missed the 5...

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Carmen

Carmen by Carlos Suara (DVD)
I purchased this film, as I thought it was the version I saw in a small theater several years ago; sort of an art film theater. It was the opera Carmen told through flamenco dancing and it was wonderful. It combined a real life drama during rehearsals of flamenco version, which closely follows the story of Carmen itself. However, this DVD was not the same film and I was very disappointed. It was the theatrical production of the flamenco version of Carmen only, with no backstory. The dancing and singing is very good, but, since I was expecting something entirely different, I was sadly disappointed. Also, the DVD says it has subtitles, but, when you click on them, they don't appear on the screen. Therefore, you don't know what the singers are singing. It hurts the film, since the songs tell the story. I don't know how to truly rate this film, because of my expectations. I would much rather have had the film I thought I was buying. I liked this film, but didn't love it like the one I...

On Barcelona Carmen blue-ray
This is an excellent recording of Bieito's Carmen (Barcelona 2010, live). I am no regie fan, but I appreciate good theatre and this staging is tremendously effective. True, this production is unusually violent and sexually explicit; but the singing- actors inhabit their parts, the music and chorus are an integral part of the action, the conducting first class. There are exciting performances by all principals - particularly Alagna as Don José is superb - and the minimalistic sets and lighting are effective . Most of the spoken recitatives are cut from this production adding in dramatic intensity.
The story is unconventionally set around nineteen-seventy , in poverty-stricken Southern Spain; all Carmen's associates are frankly criminal smuggling cars, electronics, and hard drink/ drugs ; It's a violent world, where Don José's colleagues are no national army upright soldiers, but mercenaries, under harsh discipline in their...

Completely engrossing and very dramatic
This is probably a good place to start investigating the work of Gades as it is such a well-known plot and well told by Bizet in his opera. However this example of the flamenco art combined with more traditional ballet skills as envisioned by Gades is able to extend the rawness of the emotional impact to an almost frightening degree.

Some background explaining how this fusion of ballet and flamenco came about may be of help at this stage: Gades, as a young man, studied classical dance as well as all the Spanish popular dance idioms. This dual interest and skill enabled him, uniquely, to fuse together the two art forms of ballet and flamenco. He believed that flamenco must also be shorn of all extraneous distractions in order to bring the essence of the dance to light. At this early stage he was also providing the choreography for classical ballet such as Bolero, Carmen and El Amor Brujo for companies such as La Scala. From 1981 he formed the collaboration with Carlos Saura,...

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The Seven Chakras

Videos Too Short
Hi,
I was pleased to receive my "The Seven Chakras" DVD.
But disappointed to find that each video clip was no more than 10 minutes long.

This is simply not long enough to experience a full relaxation period.

Also the Disk didn't seem to have an option to play them one after the other..
So this required you to break your concentration and click the next Chakras icon.

I bought this product because of the Youtube advertisement thinking the clips would be longer.
But they are the same short 8 - 10 minutes as on the Youtube Channel.

I could of just watched the same product online for free.

Almost a complete waste of time and money.

Just great....
Just great. A magnificent treat for video artists, for those looking to meditate deeply, or just for folks looking to simply relax and chill out. Its great to see Ted's work optimized for the the home screen viewing and it works so well in this format. Highly, highly recommended....

7 Chakras vision
A good product. May have been enhanced by more rotational images.
Nevertheless, it is effective and the tonal connection complements
the product. Well done.

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Thorium Remix 2011

Very engaging
There is a lot of information here and it moves at a rapid pace but I found it very enjoyable and the subject is fascinating. Watching this caused me to seek out more videos and Tech Talks because I couldn't get enough of the subject matter. The first 5 minutes are a nice summary to show people who might not enjoy the more technical parts.

Nuclear energy is a proven technology but has a few downsides with how we currently do it that make some people dismiss it as a solution to our carbon emission problem. This documentary describes an old but innovative reactor design that has almost none of the problems a light water nuclear reactor has but was unfortunately not pursed due to politics. The creator was forced to retire when he expressed concerns about the safety of the light water nuclear reactors we use today (he was also the creator of the light water nuclear reactor).

The editing can be a little abrasive at times but I'm willing to overlook that since the...

Thorium: Solving the energy crisis and greenhouse gas emissions at the same time
I have supported the film maker of this video by purchasing this DVD and contributed money through [...] for his new venture to improve on this version. In 30 years, people will watch Thorium Remix 2011 and marvel at how smart you were to have bought this soon to be collector's item. Don't know about Thorium and how it will shape the future: Buy this and then buy this:

http://www.amazon.com/SuperFuel-Thorium-Energy-Source-Future/dp/0230116477/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337978687&sr=1-1

Then when you are at cocktail parties and other gatherings quietly bring up thorium and impress your friends with your foresight and breadth of knowledge. Years from now your acquaintances and friends will remark on when they first heard about the promise of thorium (from you!!!!) and how it will change history.

Fascinating
I found this when researching into the topic of energy from Thorium and this video is pretty much the 'go to' source for information on LFTR. As the other reviewers have said it does move at a very fast pace and is quite detailed in places so can result in a bit of information overload, but I remember watching this for the first time and walking away with just the words 'WHY ARE WE NOT DOING THIS?!' stuck in my head. Even a year later I am still holding to these words. If you want a hard copy of the information to give to friends, send to a representative or just for posterity I'd recommend this. If you just want to absorb the information then there are copies of this on YouTube which you are welcome to watch, edit and remix!

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Books Not Bars (Institutional Use: K-12)

Defiance needed to stop massive incarceration.
This short film is a great sociological work of art demonstrating the awareness of a phenomenon that has quintupled over the past 30 years. In California alone, the state has build over 30 prisons in the past 30 years, and only 2 universities. Our prison system warehouses over 2 million prisoners. Such total institutions don't reform and don't rehabilitate prisoners. We need to stop divesting from prisons and start investing more on educational institutions, lower tuition rates, and stop privatization of school loans. The sad reality is that our prisons don't house the most dangerous criminals, (the corporate thugs) are still robbing and killing. Our prisons incarcerate and punish the poor.





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Witchblade: The Complete Series (Classic Line)

If you expect sex and non-stop violence, you're in for a shock: Witchblade is actually a character-driven drama!
"When I saw the pictures and the explanation of the story, I thought it was a coarser, scarier and darker anime. But once we started, I realized it had less violence and more heart." - Mie Sonozaki

-----

Before anything else, you need to understand the following: Witchblade is, first and foremost, a character-driven drama, rather than an action series. It has some fighting, yes, but the vast majority of the episodes are spent focusing on character development. Everything else comes a distant second. At first the suggestion is that it's going to be a The Devil Lady, 'monster of the week' type, but that isn't the case.

Whoever decided to market Witchblade as a violent, fan-service heavy title wasn't too bright. Likewise, the person who came up with the idea of taking the title of a popular American comic and then creating an entirely different story, with an all-new cast, didn't make the wisest of moves. By attempting to pass-off a slow-paced, heartfelt...

A Taste for Killing
The Good Things
*Has good video and sound quality.
*Comes with a number of extras; making-of featurettes, interviews, textless songs, trailers, and outtakes. It is all allocated on disc five, while the rest of the show takes up the first four discs.
*Comes in a nice slim box, with all of the discs on a fold-out thing and all associated booklets in its own envelope (just like with the complete box set of "Burst Angel," "Speedgrapher," or "Samurai 7"). Has a lot of cool artwork.
*Good amount of exciting action and fighting.
*Very good animation style and quality.
*Very good production desgin. The characters look phenomenal, the settings look interesting, and the Witchblade weapon itself is incredibly awesome.
*The main character has some very big...ahem...fan service.
*Aside from that, the protagonist is a great character who shows compelling emotion and awesome wickedness. The other characters are great, and their drama is very...

I thought this would suck but now I see it is Raging RED HOT Anime!
I have passed over this Anime many times, because I don't like the American comic. I only gave it consideration because my brother in-law recommended it.

Well saying "I don't like the comic" is unfair... I'm sure the writing is good and Top Cow is known for producing quality products (high quality graphics, paper, toys, etc... etc...) But, the Witchblade logo reminds me too much of the Thundercats logo. And additionally I don't like the American style art that original source material has. Just MHO.

I'll stop talking about that before I find someone at my doorsteps upset with me for bashing the most popular new comic of the last decade. New is relative... considering franchises like Superman have been around for 60 plus years I think.

THIS Version of Witchblade However... is stunning! The story is deep and valid. It is the classic heroes journey, and it is absolutely fantastic!

Watching this immediately makes me think of one of my other...

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Dazed and Confused (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

D&C gets the Criterion treatment!
I love this movie. It's one of my favorite teen comedies. It helped jump start the careers of the film's soon-to-be stars, such as: Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Matthew McConaughey, Rory Cochrane, Jason London, and Milla Jovovich, to name a few. By the end of my first viewing, I was hooked. I became obsessed with the movie, and have seen it so many times that I've lost count, and it's still fresh and hilarious with every viewing (which is rare for a film)! It has become one of my favorite movies of all time, as well.

It doesn't necessarily have a plot, it's basically about the last day of school at a high school in a small town in Texas in 1976. The soon-to-be seniors are initiating the soon-to-be freshmen, A few friends are trying to get Aerosmith tickets, and everyone is trying to party or get stoned, drunk, or laid. Oh yeah. Dazed and Confused is definitely a cult classic, and a movie I could watch easily over a million times. Even though it's about the END of the school...

"You just gotta keep on livin', man. L-I-V-I-N."
Fans of this movie have had to suffer two bare bones editions before finally being richly rewarded with this new special edition from the fine folks at the Criterion Collection.

The first disc features an audio commentary by writer/director Richard Linklater who is clearly still bitter about how the studio screwed him over and mentions it frequently. He talks at length about which parts of the film are autobiographical in his usual, easygoing, genial way, delivering yet another top notch track filled with great anecdotes, smart observations and cautionary tales about the dangers of working with a Hollywood studio.

Also included are 17 deleted scenes, including footage of Pink and his friends stealing the statues that we see later on in the film painted as the band members from Kiss.

There is also a theatrical trailer.

The second disc kicks off with an impressive, 50 minute retrospective documentary entitled "Making Dazed" that combines...

It WILL hit close to home
"Dazed and Confused" represents one of the better entries in the film genre fans affectionately refer to as the stoner picture. After viewing this movie, I started thinking about this much maligned cinematic rubric. How many films, I wondered, fall within this category? Well, there are the Cheech and Chong movies that emerged in the 1970s, a series of films that really deserve their own special niche. What else? "The Stoned Age" came out one year after "Dazed and Confused" arrived on the scene. There are probably many more that I could not recall, but the mother of all stoner films has to be the amazing "Over the Edge," a movie notable for showcasing Matt Dillon in his first film roll, but also because of its gritty '70s feel and its wonderful fusion of youthful alienation with suburban sprawl. "Over the Edge," sadly unavailable on DVD as of this date, should serve as the standard by which viewers should measure all other stoner films...

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Miles! Live at Montreux - The Definitive Miles Davis at Montreux Collection, 1973-1981

If you're a Miles fan...
I am honored to be the first reviewer of this fine collection.

Amazon's title for this product is wrong. This 10 DVD set covers musical appearances that Miles Davis made at the Montreaux Jazz Festival from 1973 until 1991.

When I saw that this became available, I begged my wife to get it for me for Christmas. It's Christmas Day, and I'm watching. I've been listening to some of these tracks since the "Live Around the World" CD came out in 1996. The rest of the tracks were released on the limited edition "The Complete Miles Davis At Montreux: 1973-1991" boxed set in 2002. It's now out of print and sells here on Amazon for $390. If you're a fan of Miles' work from 1973 - 1991 you must add this to your collection. There is something magical about being able to see Kenny Garrett, Bob Berg, Kei Akagi, Darryl Jones, Ricky Wellman, Robert Irving III, John Scofield, Foley McReary and other incredible musicians interacting, learning and growing with Miles...

can't get enough Miles live
I have been watching this for months now, and I still haven't gotten to every disc in the set. There is so much great playing and subtlety that you can easily watch each show 7-8 times without even beginning to get bored.

This is mostly 1980s Miles, so it is a great combination of funk, jazz and pop. Not as innovative as the 1960s and 1970s Miles, perhaps, but the improvisation and chops are there. And Miles is still a one-of-a-kind band leader who can get the best performances out of his sidemen. I particularly recommend the Scofield/Berg/Jones era of Discs 2-5.

I'm sure I'll still be watching these regularly in a year and maybe even five years.

Astonishing!
I've been listening to Miles since 1964 when I first joined the CBS Australian Record Club, so I have grown up with Miles's many band incarnations and movements in music - the New Directions in Jazz, as some might recall. In later years I was able to see Miles live, in the 70s and the 80s (1988 being the last time).
Apart from the first disc on this magnificent set which captures one track from 1973, this documents several versions of Miles's bans at Montreux through the mid-80s to the l991 concert.
This means there is a degree of repetition in the pieces played, but every version is different enough top warrant inclusion. Different sounds, different solos, different dynamics within the bands. These are extremely well-shot concerts, superbly edited and sounding just wonderful. Apart from the work with Gil Evans (and let's not forget the superb Aura) Miles big band dates were pretty scarce. But some of these groups from the 1980s, particularly those with Robbin Ford on...

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2011 Merrie Monarch Festival

Love the MM.
I love watching the MM competition every year on the computer, esp since my halau competes at the competition. This is a great video to buy for hula fans.





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Glenn Gould on Television: The Complete CBC Broadcasts, 1954-1977

Wonderful WONDERFUL !!!
A fabulous 19 hours of music and commentary from, in my humble opinion, the greatest pianist ever.
Glenn Gould has exquisite taste in music, as well as the ability to share his enthusiasm and passion.
A natural teacher, explaining complex musical terms in a way that ordinary, non-musical people can easily understand.
Then, he plays. You can see and hear the absolute joy of his playing. Awe-inspiringly beautiful.
There is a lot of playing and some pieces have not been recorded elsewhere. So, this is a real treat for Glenn Gould fans to hear "new" recordings.

He stopped giving concerts in 1964. And I think he wanted listeners to have a more up-close and personal experience of music than the concert hall distant relationship. You will get that up-close and personal experience with this set.

This DVD collection is a "must have" for any person who loves music, and for anyone who wants to learn more about music.
It will most certainly...

One hundred stars...
...would not be enough for this extraordinary treasure trove of intelligence and beauty. You get to see Gould in real time, talking at length about the music that meant everything to him -- not just Bach and Schoenberg, but Richard Strauss. Mahler, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and Beethoven, among others. These are complete programs, so you get to marvel not only at the transcendent performances but at the ease with which Gould enters into, say, a Bach fugue, whether for a few measures or for the entire piece, and then reemerges to deliver some extraordinary insight in a mannered but impeccable spoken prose... This set is the bargain of the century at the present amazon price ($72.99) but even if it goes back up to list price the decision to buy this would be a no-brainer. Wow.

Spectacular!!!
This wonderful dvd set allows you to get to know Glenn Gould as performer, writer, thinker, actor, conductor and composer. Absolute heaven for Gould fanatics like myself. I really like the Humphrey Burton interviews. I find Gould to be especially engaging, and the talks greatly enhance my understanding of the music that is to follow. A must-have item for Gould fans.

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Andrea Chenier [Blu-ray]

Bregenz production of Andrea Chenier
This is going to be a brief review written in haste to offset the 4 posted reviews that are missplaced; they refer to the Met production with Pavarotti. The Bregenz production is a far different animal, and my 4 star evaluation is based on the overall impact of the production, not a reflection of the singers who, while more than adequate, do not challenge the best of the CD offerings of A.C. (hence, 4 rather than 5 stars). The Bregenz productions take place on a floating stage at the edge of a lake; singers are miked; the orchestra is not visible. The overall impact of a Bregenz performance falls somewhere between traditional outdoor opera and a 3 ring circus production with lots of extras and activity. It is a far cry from the old "stand and sing" approach to opera and, for me, works well as a supplement to more commonplace presentations. I have seen the Bregenz productions of Aida, Boheme, and Trovatore. (Reviews of those are available at Amazon, but before plunking down the...





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Luther: Season 2

A Rogue Cop Returns: Four More Episodes Of An Edgy And Unpredictable Crime Serial
After a hugely successful run in its first six hours, BBC's "Luther" returns for another go with four more episodes. Some have contended that "Luther" is unlike any other show on TV, and I'm not entirely sure that I would agree with this assessment. While "Luther" can certainly be wild and unpredictable, it is not breaking the mold of many other rogue cop hero shows that have populated the modern TV landscape. As the titular Detective John Luther, Idris Elba brings much passion, conviction, and gusto to the standard role of a cop who must sometimes cross the line to do what's right. But to the program's credit, Elba can be extremely erratic as well and does push the notion of a "good" cop to an uncomfortable, and at times, violent level. It is this anything-may-happen feel that livens up even the most standard of cases. By the end of Season One, Luther had become absolutely unhinged and Elba had served up a performance that would be nominated for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe...

A Rogue Cop Returns: Four More Episodes Of An Edgy And Unpredictable Crime Serial
After a hugely successful run in its first six hours, BBC's "Luther" returns for another go with four more episodes. Some have contended that "Luther" is unlike any other show on TV, and I'm not entirely sure that I would agree with this assessment. While "Luther" can certainly be wild and unpredictable, it is not breaking the mold of many other rogue cop hero shows that have populated the modern TV landscape. As the titular Detective John Luther, Idris Elba brings much passion, conviction, and gusto to the standard role of a cop who must sometimes cross the line to do what's right. But to the program's credit, Elba can be extremely erratic as well and does push the notion of a "good" cop to an uncomfortable, and at times, violent level. It is this anything-may-happen feel that livens up even the most standard of cases. By the end of Season One, Luther had become absolutely unhinged and Elba had served up a performance that would be nominated for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe...

Like that old Woody Allen joke in reverse
You know the old joke about the women complaining about the food at a restaurant in the Catskills? "This food is terrible," says one. "Yes," agrees her companion, "and the portions are so small."

Luther is like that joke in reverse. "This show is so great, but the portions are too small."

Do four episodes really constitute a season? I was left wanting more after the six episodes of the first season. What am I going to do until Season 3?

The lead character is an intriguing mix of deeply flawed humanity and world weariness -- a hero for our times. While I wish there had been more of his unlikely ally crazy Alice in this season, the finale holds out the hope that she will reappear in Season 3. I can hardly wait.

More, more!

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Anti-Nazi Classics, Vol. 2

Another Important And Powerful Set Of German Classics
When the first DVD compilation of these "Classics" arrived in June, I was pretty excited by the films included in the mix. Just from a historical perspective, that set boasted two essential movies: "Naked Among Wolves" (the first German film to deal directly with life inside a concentration camp) and "The Murderers Are Among Us" (the first feature film produced in post-war Germany). With "I Was Nineteen" and "The Gleiwitz Case," the set was as solid and noteworthy as could be. I was decidedly less familiar with he titles included in Volume Two and slightly more skeptical of the classic label being bandied about--but, I must say, I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of the films included. Three of the pieces are incredibly strong and hold up well today and the remaining film is an eclectic mix of post-war recriminations and Cold War propaganda. If interested in the topic, I would consider this another winning collection. I wish the quality of the prints had been stepped up from...





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A Guy Called Dad

A must see!
If you have a family member with a severe mental illness (or know someone who does), this is a must see. Poignant, touching, funny and sad, this unique look at the life of a schizophrenic (from the perspective of his own child) will haunt you for days. It is also a way to educate yourself about the subject matter. Don't miss the bonus features!

Poignant and Heartfelt
This video is a realistic portrayal of what it's like to live with a schizophrenic parent. Stand-up comedian and writer, Kacey Arnold, uses her unique brand of humor to illuminate the many challenges inherent to a relationship with a schizophrenic. The DVD is a must-see for any one living with schizophrenia.

A Guy Called Dad
"A Guy Called Dad: A Daughter's Journey" is a intimate and revealing documentary that explores how mental health (schizophrenia) effects a father / daughter relationship. The complex array of affective, behavioral, cognitive and perceptual components makes even the simplest of tasks a real challenge.

Producer/Director Kacey Arnold sheds light on the realities and complexities of mental illness with sensitivity and humor. This documentary is a "must see" for anyone who is impacted by a psychological or behavioral disorder. Stigma and discrimination add to the suffering associated with disorders. I feel that this film compliments the greater social movement towards increased awareness and acceptance. Well done.

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Joseph Campbell: Mythos III

Campbell considered the master of myth
Joseph Campbell's personal passion for myth is again documented in 5 hour-long episodes that are difficult to rate. As a light evening of TV entertainment it would fail for most viewers. But this is a documentary. An educational adventure. PBS. It would be quite rewarding teaching for students and participants in literature, mythology, philosophy, and creative writing. For those viewers I have offered a 5 star rating.

How does myth combine with artistic expression in poetry and prose?
Campbell's lectures are occasionally illustrated with stills and video snippets while he continues his talk. He discusses specific pieces of literary art and its content within his knowledge of myth themes. He offers fragments of humor surprisingly coming from this deep-thinking, historic-oriented, intellectual. He uses some higher or advanced vocabulary creating a university-level lecture series (at the least advanced H.S. level.) Susan Sarandon helps comprehension for Campbell's...

Patience and Gratitude
I share some of the frustration one reviewer mentions in that the Mythos III is taking longer than expected. However, some of his criticism is misplaced. This production is funded by the Joseph Campbell Foundation, a non profit foundation that has been struggling for funding since the financial crisis in 2008. I am actually surprised that they are able to finish this dvd at all considering their ongoing revenue shortfall. The statement that "They seem to be taking more time to assure their financial positioning in the whole scheme of things" is just not true. Please visit the website at JCF.org and find out more about the selfless service that this community is performing. There are also some previously unreleased video shorts of Campbell that are now freely available from the website, so be sure to check those out. I continue to practice patience and gratitude!

Worth the wait!
There is so much depth and quality to all of the material that has been released so far. I'm sorry to hear that the foundation has suffered financial difficulties with the economic downturn, but I prefer the delay if it means the quality won't be compromised. Joseph Campbell deserves nothing less. I'm certain Mythos 3 will meet my expectations ... looking forward to the release.

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Greening The Cube: One Hundred Mile Housing

Entertaining and informative!
Great documentary! I enjoyed the human aspect of this film that goes along with the information presented. Thought-provoking look at the issues surrounding sustainable building practices. Interesting that the laws designed to protect us (building codes) are severely hampering our efforts to 'live green'.

Greening the Cube: 100 mile housing
This documentary film created by Tyler Austin Bradley is an amazing introduction to living life without overuse of our resources. Tyler has blended the lives and personal stories of the builders with the logistics of building so this resonates with anyone watching and creates a feeling of power over 'what can we do' to help our communities, provinces/states and world in which we live. Well done! This should be shown at the high school and city council level to promote thought and conversation on taking responsibility for our world. This is a must see and will be distributed to the social planning committees in my community.



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Phillip The Fossil (Instructional Use)

Derangement
I was completely surprised by how much I enjoyed this film which was well-written and professionally produced. I found Brian Hasenfus, the actor in the leading role, to be particularly compelling and likable and his characterization of a man/child on the cusp of assuming adult responsibility touched me deeply. Not all goes according to plan, however, as temptation in the form of a sexually enticing high school student who is trying to make her inattentive boyfriend jealous ultimately derails the protagonist's plans in ways he could never have anticipated. The atmosphere of Philip The Fossil is pervaded by alcohol, cocaine and huge doses of steroids which converts a seemingly placid suburb in Massachusetts into a simmering recipe for disaster. Shot in an effective verite style with a great deal of edgy editing, the film is absorbing and suspenseful and I was sad to see it end after being treated to only one hour and thirteen minutes of highly creative film-making.

Wow!
I watched this movie to use as a source for my new book on age-discrepant relationships and ephebophilia and it was a score. Here's a rough plot summary, without spoilers, as it pertains to my research:

Phillip the Fossil (2011) - In the opening scene, 29-year-old Phillip (Brian Hasenfus), who won the SXSW 2010 Special Jury Prize for Best Performance, had anal sex in a car with a 16-year-old, who he absolutely could not believe had never had anal sex before. He was introduced to the teen by football prospect, Sully, in exchange for steroids. Subsequently, Phillip began a relationship with, Summer, Sully's 17-year-old spurned ex-girlfriend. On Phillip and Summer's first date, Summer performed oral sex on Phillip while he drove his pickup truck after they sniffed cocaine.

And those scenes occurred within about the first thirty minutes of the film.

MUST SEE FOR ANY MASSHOLE!
The most realistic, in your face depiction of lower middle-class Massachusetts life I've EVER seen... and I live in Weymouth!!!

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Mixing, Gain Structure & Phase Reversal

Who was this supposed to benifit?
I'll give this video credit for production value. It's a modern, polished presentation. However, I can't think of anyone that would benefit from this video. It's too fast paced for the novice to really learn what is going on. In the presentation on phase reversal, for example, it demonstrates phase reversal but really does not illustrate what is going on or why it is relevant. It assumes the viewer's understanding of too much jargon to be for it to be appropriate for a novice. However, it's too thin on content for an experienced person to expand their understanding. The host's zany mannerisms undermine his credibility as an expert.





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Cinco de Mayo Moo

aburrido - Boring
I am a Spanish teacher at a charter school for kindergarten thru eighth grade. I was falling asleep during the show. They ask the same question over and over again after they have all ready answered it. it is two kids who just walk around los angeles asking questions. Completely boring. please do not waste your time or your $1.99 on this movie. I gave it a one star because i had to put something in. i would have preferred giving it a zero.

Cinco de mayo information
The students were engaged in the presentation and had accurate information and enjoyed the cultural enlightenment. It was not too long and infromative at the same time

This Music is not my thing.
I don't like this kind of music at all. It's the kind of music that the lower class in Mexico likes to listen to. It usually talks about everyday life and today it elevates drug trafficker as heroes.

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Royal Airbus A310-300 & Lockheed 1011

Not Always Royal
This two VHS videos transferred to DVD with a little engineering to give them chapter breaks.

The first is Toronto to Vegas in an L-1011. Interesting presentation on an old school aircraft, plus lots of good scenery. In Vegas, the Luxor was built, but not the Mandalay Bay yet, and the area around the airport is totally different than today, as are the take off and landing patterns. Nice view of Hoover Dam.

The second is to London in an older Airbus, part glass cockpit, part not, same generation and size as the 767. Again interesting older school aircraft, and decent flight information.

Overall, very interesting videos, but not quite as high quality as we would get today, given the origination as VHS tapes.





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WWII: D-Day and the Providence of God (4 DVDs)

A Dedication to Those who Fought and Didn't Return
This DVD series is a documentary narrated by Doug Phillips and William Potter. Its format is a series of amazing stories of the soldiers, leaders and politicians on the Allied and Axis sides. Many of these stories were new to me. A lot of file footage from the invasion and lead up is presented. Seven episodes span the 4 DVD's:
Episode 1: The Theological Significance of the Second World War
Episode 2: The Strategic Overview
Episode 3: The Theology of Leadership on D-Day
Episode 4: Deception, Intelligence, and Spying for D-Day
Episode 5: The Decision to Go
Episode 6: The Men of D-Day and the Meaning of Manhood
Episode 7: The Aftermath
Bonus Materials

Highly recommended!

Well done and informational
Though enjoyable to watch, this is also a great teaching tool and that is mostly why it was purchased. Done well and you will not be disappointed with this product.

Watched this on TBN; Just okay(even worse) for a WWII Documentary
Interesting enough, but early on takes a couple of unfair and somewhat out of place "Anti-Catholic" jabs at the Catholic Church.
Possibly there to earn its street cred in Protestant children religious education classes which is probably this films best venue.
Unbelievably this film during the pre-war runup(1933-39) phase of the documentary(1st episode) blames the 1944 'Ardeatine Caves massacre' of Italian partisans by German Occupation troops in Rome before their retreat from advancing American troops on the Catholic Church. Within the documentary they refer to this solely as the "1944 Massacre in Rome"(Wikipedia: 'Massacre in Rome'). One reference to the Catholic Church being responsible for any of this comes from the plot line of the 1973 movie 'Massacre in Rome'(1944 Ardeatine Caves Massacre) starring Richard Burton in which a fictional priest Fr. Pietro Antonelli((Marcello Mastroianni) has complicity in the script. In addition, the charge was levied earlier in the 60's...

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Books Not Bars (Institutional Use: K-12)

Defiance needed to stop massive incarceration.
This short film is a great sociological work of art demonstrating the awareness of a phenomenon that has quintupled over the past 30 years. In California alone, the state has build over 30 prisons in the past 30 years, and only 2 universities. Our prison system warehouses over 2 million prisoners. Such total institutions don't reform and don't rehabilitate prisoners. We need to stop divesting from prisons and start investing more on educational institutions, lower tuition rates, and stop privatization of school loans. The sad reality is that our prisons don't house the most dangerous criminals, (the corporate thugs) are still robbing and killing. Our prisons incarcerate and punish the poor.





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Quinceañera

Quinceanera Video
It helped my Spanish students in middle and high school understand fully the what, why, how, when of a cultural celebration. Very well done!!





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Las Posadas: Christmas in Mexico

Great piece!
As a middle school teacher, I thought this video was great for teaching since it wasn't too long, the narrators were young and the footage was well done. My students and I really enjoyed it!

Authentic, multi-age, and educational
This 30-minute English video explains all of the Mexican traditions from Dec 12 - Feb 2. Most of the time is spent on Posadas, but it isn't all about Posadas. The Spanish words included are written on the screen, and also their English translations. 3rd grade + can understand, best for middle and high school. NOTE: many of the traditions include the Biblical story of the birth of Jesus, so there is a lot of religious talk in the movie. This is normally fine because it is presented as Mexican legends rather than as spiritual truth, but be prepared for use in multi-ethnic environments.

General overview of Las Posadas
Produce was factually correct and visually pleasing. The hosts could have been stronger with more precise use of language and less use of "whatever".

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Meet the Phonics Pack - 3 DVD Boxed Set (Meet the Letter Sounds, Meet the Digraphs & Meet the Blends)

A great gift for any child.
My children love these DVD's and I've recently purchased 3 sets to give as Christmas presents. I feel so good this season about giving the gift of learning instead of toys to the special little people in my life.

Great Products, Great Company!!
Amazing DVDs!

I bought the Meet the Sight Words DVD for my nephew and he learned 47 sight words in 2 weeks. I never thought that I would be able to follow up to such a great gift but I did! Preschool Prep Company recently released their Meet the Phonics DVDs and I bought all three, Meet the Phonics - Letter Sounds, Digraphs and Blends. I gave them to my nephew for his November 1st birthday, and by December 1st, he had mastered all of the concepts on these DVDs and has just started reading. If you are looking for a gift, you won't find anything better!

a REAL educational video
This series is an actual educational video perfect for my toddler. They go through each letter making the sounds and building words using colorful and fun animations. They have fun mini lessons that use melodies from familiar songs. My daughter loved the videos so much she asked to watch them again and again.

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Aligned and Well - Knees and Hips

Effective exercise alignment program
I find Katy Bowman's Aligned and Well to be so effective that I just can't help wondering IF my mother would have developed Parkinson's had she been doing this DVD. I wonder. My mother was a Physical Education teacher before marrying my father and was always quite the health nut and nutrition nut. She was so proud that she played tennis a couple times a week beating those 10-20 years younger than herself! We were all so surprised when she started shuffling and could not lift her legs any more and anyone in the health field would immediately recognize what she was doing - the Parkinson's Shuffle! I truly wonder if my mother had done the exercises on this DVD, if she would have developed the shuffle or if it could have offset or even prevented the development of low dopamine in her neurotransmitter levels. I wonder. I plan on keeping these muscles strong and flexible in myself as I do not want to get Parkinson's or anything resembling that.

This Aligned & Well 104 - Knees and...

Helpful Tips
The information in this video was very interesting. My body feels better after just making a few simple changes. I would love to see all the videos from Aligned and Well at some point. One thing I would like in the future is a workout video using this techniques. Good information though.



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Aligned and Well - When You Hurt All Over

Impressive
I am so impressed with Katy Bowman, MS in her When You Hurt All Over DVD which is #102 in her Aligned and Well Series. I find her innovative and appropriate for all levels of conditioning. She clearly explains herself in a very understandable way and I believe this DVD will deliver results to everyone. I felt an increase in energy by Day #2 of implementing these movements on Aligned and Well - When You Hurt All Over. I streamed mine from Amazon and there was a bit of a audio/video syncing issue but it did not distract me from the excellent Material on Aligned & Well 102 - When You Hurt All Over which I will cover this 35-min DVD from beginning (0:00) to end.

0:00 - intro to author and series
Katy Bowman, MS describes herself as a BioMechanical Scientist based upon her education in physics, physiology, anatomy, and engineering and describes this DVD series as an Owner's Manual (for the human body). "Because most of us have similar habits of excessive sitting and have...





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Neil Peart Taking Center Stage: Lifetime of Live Performances

Inspiring, mind-bending and profound.
Peart is nothing short of a genius, and to see this iconic MASTER sit and talk eloquently in perfect paragraph after perfect paragraph about HOW MUCH HE HAS LEFT TO LEARN is...well. It's Zen. It's sitting at the feet of the master.

Now, I've banged around on drums for about 35 years and I can do some passable percussion in really banal situations--had a great time last fall playing udu at a folk sing-a-long. I have a small electronic trap set I take my frustrations out on many evenings. But I don't have the slightest chance of being able to play anything like Peart, ever, no matter how hard I might be able to try.

So why do I find this--what amounts to an instructional video--so mesmerizing? The same thing that makes me watch Adrian Peterson play even when the Vikings are having a terrible season. Just watching someone at the top of his game, knowing that I belong to the same species as the one that produced this...wonder...is uplifting. Even if I can...

Great on so many levels
Much like the man himself, this DVD is great on many levels. Neil discusses everything around his music from the recent Time Machine Tour. Great Sound. Great footage from the tour. At 500 minutes, it's more than even this die-hard fan can handle in a single sitting, but it's just so good. After all the previous books and videos, I was wondering what else he could possibly cover and how could it be interesting. As usual, Neil is fascinating and goes beyond the mortal realm. Any Rush fan, even the non-drummers will be well entertained by this. Did I mention the sound?

Neil Peart Taking Center Stage: A Lifetime of Live Performance
If you're a drummer, with a little experience and a few chops under your belt, and you want to rekindle the fire...get inspired....you should buy this. The Amazon price is amazing, not that your local drum shop won't meet it; it's just that I don't know retail prices except for what I see here.
Okay, chest-beating time: I've reviewed this on my website [...] but I feel that it's my responsibility to put my mouth where my money is (ie Amazon, which always gives me a fair shake) and recommend highly this 3-DVD video package. The order of the day is objectivity.I mean no disrespect when I tell you I've never been a fan of Neil Peart or Rush to any great degree. In the 1970s, when they were fledgling I was into the stirring Phil Collins drumming performance on "Cinema Show" and sought to cop his odd "odd time" fluid bar crossing. To me, Peart and band were inhabiting a place I wasn't rushing to visit. But of late, thanks to a surprise path crossing with Neil Peart at the summer...

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Deep Gold (Blu-ray)

IT'S NOT THAT DEEP
Amy Sanchez (Bebe Pham) who lives on the paradise island of Cebu is a champion freediver. Her boyfriend Tony (Jack Prinya) is in the air force and must pilot a shipment of gold to Manila. There are some plot continuity issues. He tells Amy his mission is top secret, yet when the plane crashes the news knows it was the gold shipment and she knows that her boyfriend was the pilot. We do know there was foul play involved, but we are not shown who it was. Was it her boyfriend or another character? The plot continuity gets worse as the next day two soldiers show up and question Amy if she knows where her boyfriend is located and they tell her not to leave town. Her sister asks if they have a warrant, meanwhile a news team shows up at their same outdoor table. I guess top secret information travels fast on a small island...Oh yes the location that the plane went down is classified. Amy decides to go find the plane and clear her name even though she is not really accused of anything. There...

Great movie
My girlfriend is Filipina and wanted to see this movie since much of it is set in the PI. We enjoyed the movie, had a few laughs.



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Sherlock Holmes: The Archive Collection Volumes 1 & 2 (6 Disc Set)

THE CASE OF THE FORGOTTEN HOLMES
As a Sherlock Holmes fan I was dieing to get my hands on this collection. It was great fun to finally watch the three short films that starred the great Ellie Norwood (who was a Conan Doyle favorite actor at the time) and to finally see SHERLOCK HOLMES'S FATAL HOUR (the first of five films starring Arthur Wotner). I think someone needs to bring out more Ellie Norwood films from the 20's out on DVD, and the complete (well the surviving four films anyway) of Arthur Wotner. Anyway the rest of the collection is ok. You do need to be a big SHERLOCK HOLMES and mystery fan to really enjoy this collection, since I am a fan of both I did enjoy it and now I have to great actors to put on my list of favorite holmes actors, along with JEREMY BRETT and BASIL RATHBONE.

Rare Sherlockian films...
The collection is not mainstream except for the PD version of a Rathbone film. However, this is what makes it so unique. Sherlockians have all heard about the "mastery" with which Arthur Wontner and Ellie Norwood engineer their roles as Sherlock. While good, one can see the mastery Basil Rathbone brought to the character. Three of Norwood's four available films are included along with some other interesting television roles, film parodies, etc.

Overall the Archive Collection is very-very good and provides the viewer with material that would be difficult to come by otherwise.



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Aligned and Well - Below The Belt For Men

Helped me find the way
This is a good DVD for getting the mindset to get rid of pelvic pain. There is a lot more to it and I suggest reading the book, "headache in the pelvis" if you are having problems. Some of the exercises on here might be too much to quickly, like the legs on the wall one. Pelvic pain is a lot more complex and needs to be treated a particular way. There are good exercises in this though that should be in the routine.





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Aligned and Well - Smart Digestion

Improving your alignment and mid-section motor skills will improve your digestion from beginning to end!
Another great DVD from Katy Bowman in her Aligned and Well Series. I will review Aligned & Well 114 - Smart Digestion from beginning to end below.

The Video streamed well from Amazon Instant Video. The video was filmed in several different locations with changes of clothing by Katy. The video is professional and easy to watch.

0:00 - intro to author and series
Katy Bowman, MS describes herself as a BioMechanical Scientist based upon her education in physics, physiology, anatomy, and engineering and describes this DVD series as an Owner's Manual (for the human body). "Because most of us have similar habits of excessive sitting and have received the same cultural guidelines on how to move, we seem to share the same ailments: degenerated spines, osteoarthritic hips and knees, low bone density, and tension in neck, jaw and eyes. Although we associate these conditions with aging, they are not found in all humans but in those of use who belong to a culture where...





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Aligned and Well - Fix Your Feet

Every tightly-clad and overly used foot would appreciate Katy's Fix Your Feet,
I think every American foot would appreciate Katy Bowman's Aligned & Well 103 - Fix Your Feet DVD. It is so important to have healthy feet and avoid foot surgery. I rented this from Amazon Instant video for one week and was very happy with the audio and video quality as well as it remembered where I left off and gave me the choice to resume or start at the beginning. I also like that I can remember the clock setting and go directly to the exercise I want to review. I give this video 5 stars from beginning to end which I will cover now:

0:00 - intro to author and series
Katy Bowman, MS describes herself as a BioMechanical Scientist based upon her education in physics, physiology, anatomy, and engineering and describes this DVD series as an Owner's Manual (for the human body). "Because most of us have similar habits of excessive sitting and have received the same cultural guidelines on how to move, we seem to share the same ailments: degenerated spines, osteoarthritic...





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Aligned and Well - Down There For Women

Helped a lot!
I started these exercises when I had stress incontinence. They have helped me so much! The stress incontinence is gone and they also helped with hip pain I was experiencing.

Excellent
Katy's stuff great. I have two DVDs, Aligned & Well "Down There" and "Fix your Feet" and I have her book for the feet. I recommend them all! These DVDs are simple, and to the point. The "Rx-ercises" are so basic everyone can, and should do them. If you can, find one of her seminars and attend.
I'm a true convert.



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Xtreme Calorie Burner! Road to Victory. Boulder Colorado. Indoor Cycling Training / Spinning Fitness and Workout Videos. Blu Ray Edition [Blu-ray]

Building Muscle, Endurance, and Getting Healthier - You Can't Find A Better Cycling Video.
I just finished working out with Xtreme Calorie Burner Road to Victory, Part 2. I did Part 1 yesterday and will finish with Part 3 tomorrow.

What a workout! My hair was soaking wet when I finished. I kept busy changing the resistance and making sure to keep up the cadence. The beat of the music, even though I don't remember what it sounds like, kept me going. The narrative was informative, especially talking about calorie burning, weight loss plateaus, etc. I knew most of that already, but it was motivating to hear it WHILE I was giving it my best workout effort, kind of reinforcement. Paul focused on how your weight relates to and can affect your biking in certain instances.

UPDATE: I finished Part 3 today. The thing I liked most was how beautiful it was! Paul gave an excellent narrative on being fitted out properly with your bike. Great information. I plan on using my indoors bike, so I just enjoyed the gorgeous scenery on this one.

I'm very proud of...

The Road to Victory Bicycle Classic Video Sample


Take part in the Road to Victory bike ride anytime with this DVD set.
I kind of stopped shopping around for cycling videos once I discovered Cycling Videos Online, and Road to Victory is an excellent example of why. It's so much more than just another generic cycling video. It's a motivating and challanging workout; it's a scenic tour of somewhere that I would love to cycle in person; it's a conversation with experienced cycling and fitness instructors; it's an insight into what it would be like to take part in an event like the Road to Victory ride; and it's FUN! I haven't been able to do the whole thing all the way though in one session yet, and I am still working on getting my gear changes to match the video, but I'm definitely seeing (and feeling) improvement. I think that it's a testament to Paul's excellent video production that whether I carefully try to follow the workout or whether I just pedal away, I still enjoy an awesome ride. I'm very happy I chose this DVD set and would definitely recommend it.

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Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection

Finally! The lion's share of the Laurel & Hardy library in superior prints. Eclipses previous video releases
For two decades, most of the famous films of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy have been off the video market, thanks to apathetic handling by the company then holding the rights. Now, finally, the rights have reverted to knowledgeable hands, and that means the boys are back.

This 10-disc set includes most of Laurel & Hardy's talkie shorts and features produced by Hal Roach between 1929 and 1940. These are among the funniest comedies ever made, as many vintage-film buffs will agree. Laurel & Hardy were often capable of carrying the action almost entirely by themselves: BRATS has Stan and Ollie as themselves and their own sons (with giant sets and trick photography); THE MUSIC BOX is the Oscar-winning featurette with the boys as the world's worst piano movers; HELPMATES has Stan helping Ollie to clean house after a wild party; THEIR FIRST MISTAKE has our heroes adopting a baby; TOWED IN A HOLE has them rehabbing a boat; BUSY BODIES turns them loose in a carpentry shop. You'll see...

Must-Own For Comedy Fans
Laurel and Hardy were the funniest comedy duo of all time. Their films are just as hilarious today as they were when they were made.

This set has many of their greatest films, and is accurately called "The Essential Collection" but not "The Complete Collection".

A complete collection at this point in time is impossible, as a small handful of earlier L&H films are missing or partially missing.

The rights to L&H films are owned by various companies, and two of their full-length features ("The Flying Deuces" and "Utopia") are in the public domain and owned by everyone.

To obtain as complete a collection of L&H films as is currently possible, I highly recommend buying, in addition to this set:

* the TCM 2-disc set of "The Devil's Brother" and "Bonnie Scotland"

* the Legend edition of "March of the Wooden soldiers"

* both box sets released by Fox Home Video of all six films Laurel & Hardy made at the Fox...

Laurel and Hardy Never Looked Better
I just received this set today, and I am very happy with it. I have the 20 disc set from Europe, and I can tell you that these 10 disc remasters are far and away the best prints of these films that I have ever seen. There are no reissue titles. All have their original titles opening with Leo the MGM lion. Extras are fun and informative, especially the second commentary track on "Hog Wild." Picture quality is excellent and the sound is as good as mono can be. There was concern in one review that the image was cropped for widescreen. That is not the case. All of the films are in their original aspect ratios of 1.33:1. There is some concern about the packaging, which overall I find attractive. However, the discs do reside in sleeves that you need to slide out, and could cause minor scratches. I also had two discs that had tiny glue spots on them, that I was able to remove fairly easily, and the discs played fine.
Aside from that little caveat, I highly recommend this set. As a...

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Symphony 7 [Blu-ray]

A fine and fully committed version of this major symphony
Welser-Most has been supported by a major Upper Austrian bank for over 25 years now as a cultural envoy. This level of support suggests that Welser-Most has something special to offer in terms of Austrian music especially. The sleeve note describes Welser-Most's trademarks as 'Calm and composure' and this is certainly true of his podium manner but not all is so calm beneath the exterior. Those who know his recent Summer Night's Gala or the 2011 New Year's Day concert with the VPO will also be aware that he can produce very lively responses from his orchestra too. So how is his Bruckner?

In his bonus interview, Welser-Most makes a case for linking this particular symphony to the music of Wagner, and particular Wagner's Tristan and Isolde. The link is through the tonality of E major, the themes associated with German Romanticism, the mutual admiration the two composers had for each other, the prominant use of Wagner tubas in this work and Wagner's death during the composition...

Great sound, video and dynamic performance
Elsewhere, in my review of the Abbado Bruckner 5, I commented on the Bruckner "sound" being more realistic on this disc of the #7 with Welser-Most and the Clevelanders, my theory being the acoustic quality of Severance Hall is more suited to the mighty Bruckner brass chorales than the Lucerne Hall.

The other thing I like about this disc is the momentum that Welser-Most brings to this piece. It never feels hurried, but you feel like you're headed somewhere - not just being subjected to a series of melody vignettes. The conductor, in his accompanying monologue, posits that Bruckner was the precursor to modern composers like Adams. I actually see some connection with Phillip Glass. A lot of Bruckner's technique is to use string arpeggios running through the chord progressions as an underpinning for either the woodwinds or brass main melodies. If you take these arpeggios by themselves, they do sound like Glass utilized this same M.O. for a lot of his almost hypnotic music...

wonderful disc
Any recording of Bruckner has the ghost of Celibidache to contend with and the Rumanian Maestro made several outstanding recordings on LD and DVD that still look and sound very impressive. I compared this new release very carefully with the Sony LD recorded on tour in Tokyo. As one would expect it is a very different beast! Celibidache's 7th runs for some 83 minutes, measured but beautifully controlled and majesterial. This is much faster at only 65 minutes but does not seem to be too fast in performance. I enjoyed it very much. The picture and camera work are excellent and the sound wonderfully rounded and satisfying. Comparisons are not appropriate as the two performances are just too different. I love both and wish EuroArts, who have the Celibidache recordings in their vaults, would bring them out in a Blu-ray set. Equally I hope Welser-Möst records the other major symphonies as he seems well suited to his compatriot's music. If you like or want to learn about Bruckner get...

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Thielemann Conducts Faust [Blu-ray]

Imaginative program and fine performances with good sound
Performances of both of these two works are very rare and this imaginative coupling allows us to investigate both. The links between the two works go further than just the name 'Faust' in their titles.

Wagner had initially intended to write a symphony on the theme of Faust but got no further than the completed opening movement and sketches for the second Gretchen movement. He then converted the completed first movement into an overture which was first performed in 1844 by the orchestra that eventually became the Dresden Staatskapelle as on this disc. After this, Wagner later discussed in considerable detail his previous plans to write a symphony on Faustian themes with Liszt who was later to become his father-in-law. Subsequently Liszt went ahead with a Faust Symphony mirroring Wagner's concept while Wagner himself re-worked his 1844 Faust overture with the final version of 1855 being the one heard on this disc.

The 1855 Wagner overture is an interesting and...

In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king
Only I am not sure that Christian Thielemann has even one eye. This painfully dull performance of the "Faust" Symphony, with slack climaxes and sluggish tempi, receives two stars only because video recordings of Liszt's orchestral masterpiece (NOT "the" masterpiece; it's one among many) are such a rarity, because the quality of the sound and the picture is tolerably high, because Thielemann's moronic physiognomy is rather amusing, and because I am in a fairly good mood. But the truth is that I have tried to watch it three times - and I have seen all of it but once. Visually it's a great improvement over DG's hilariously ugly DVD of Bernstein with the BSO from 1976. Musically Thielemann's sedated "interpretation" is light years behind Bernstein's rendition (which is no great shakes in the first place). Small wonder that Liszt's orchestral music is still grossly underappreciated. It will remain so until it is so...



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Terence Rattigan Collection

A Theater Lovers Dream--Archived Performances Of Nine Classic Television Productions
Admittedly Terence Rattigan might not be a household name with contemporary film audiences, but a number of his works (most noticeably, perhaps, Separate Tables and The Browning Version) were adapted into successful screen translations and are considered true classics. One of England's most popular playwrights for four decades (mid-1930s to mid-1970s) , there is no denying the impact of Rattigan's legacy. He often produced understated dramas boiling with emotional subtext. His characters tended to be damaged souls seeking solace and comfort--sometimes not even recognizing the yearnings within. Many have opined that his major works had an element of autobiography. As a homosexual man, he dealt with this theme explicitly in several significant pieces--but the underlying subject of emotional repression is threaded throughout even his most conventional narratives.

BBC has brought together nine of Rattigan's plays for this 5 disc set and what a treat for theater lovers! As of...

High quality
This is a collection of Rattigan plays featuring the very finest of British actors and directors. It is indeed first rate and worth the high price. Warning: This is serious theater, and not something designed to attract most American movie-goers.

There are two slight problems. The packaging is cheap, and the discs will not stay in place. I heard one of our discs rattling around before I opened the package. Fortunately, there was no damage. Secondly, each disc contains five minutes of commercials, which you cannot accelerate out of or click off. I've never seen this before, and don't care if I never see it again. BBCA is to blame, and if you watch that channel frequently you won't mind the stupid commercials. In any case, buy this collection, as it is marvelous.

A Treasury of Great Acting
I am a fan of Terence Rattigan so I was already familiar with most of the plays. However I was not prepared for the high quality of the acting. Most of the actors are simply superb. The BBC commercials are indeed intrusive, but the rest is definitely worth experiencing.

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Platee

Splendid! This is the Platée DVD to get.
Jean-Philippe Rameau's Platée, or Junon jalouse, was written in 1745, half way between Castor Et Pollux (1739) and Zoroastre (1749). As with his other comédie lyrique Les Paladins, it is in 3 acts, perhaps influenced by the Italian models. (On the other hand, Rameau's tragédies en musique are usually in 5 acts, following the tradition set by Jean-Baptiste Lully.) Laurent Pelly's splendidly imaginative production is matched by good singing and acting from the cast: Paul Agnew in the title (skirt) role is as good as he ever has been. Laurent Naouri brings to the role Cithéron uncanny sense of comedy et une voix magnifique. Mireille Delunsch's La Folie (Folly) almost brought the house down in her long "aria" in Act II! However, the most remarkable...

Much better lighting and color but still silly but fun.
In reviwing the initial release of the DVD on Kulture I was turned off by the boxy sound of poor quality and the relentlessly dark tone of the color photography. This "remastered" edition certainly corrects these defects so that it is now a pleasure to watch. On several viewings I now find it much more enjoyable to experience than on the old disc. It is still a silly romp but I have mellowed a bit and really now find it fun and enjoyable. The acting of Paul Agnew is really quite exceptional as is the whole cast. The frog chorus, the gods and the swamp "things" all come off very well. This time around with the very much improved sound I began to really appreciate the dexterity and cleverness of the Rameau music. The music is at times masterful in it's parody and imitation as the onomatopoeic chatter of frogs, birds, rainstorms, hurdy-gurdy and Platee's constant frog-like "quoi?". Comedic music had pretty much disappeared from the French stage after Lully had eleminated comic episodes...

a 5 star croak!
Ribbit! Ribbit! Ribbit!
To hear & see it is to believe. A little known gem with a terrific performance & concept.
Hop to it quickly.

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Barney Miller: The Complete Series

Shout! Factory Release of a Classic Series
UPDATE: Because my "review" keeps popping up first, here's a real one now. Hope it helps. (I'll leave an edited potion of my original post at the end.)

Got an early Christmas gift this month. Essentially raised on Barney Miller, I had a couple of lost weekends after the complete series landed on my porch. Here's what I got on Shout's treatment of my favorite series....

The First Three Seasons--Unfortunately, Shout! Factory used what Sony created for their season sets; other than the packaging, they're the exact same discs, menus and all. That means the first season still looks woeful and that two of its episodes (Ramon and The Bureaucrat) are the syndicated cuts. However, Shout has included a complete version of Ramon with the extras (Harris in drag!). The video quality of that version is pretty bad, which should indicate the kind of job Shout faced in getting complete episodes. Which brings me to....

Completeness of Episodes--I wish I could say that...

One of the Best Sitcoms Ever, Great DVD set
Looks like I am the first reviewer here on Amazon to have actually viewed these discs, so hopefully people will find my initial reactions useful.

So much has been said about the series itself I won't repeat any of it here. Just be assured that Barney Miller is one of the best written, best acted sitcoms (or any TV series for that matter) ever. I've seen every episode multiple times and have been collecting recordings of this show on commercially available VHS tapes, broadcast sources, and DVDs for many years. So I was very glad to see Shout Factory pick up the baton where Sony left off and release the show as it should have been from the beginning, as a complete series set.

I have not seen all the episodes in this set yet, but the ones I have seen run about 25 minutes instead of the 22-minute syndicated versions most often seen on TV since the show's original run. The picture quality is great for a TV series shot on video in the 1970s. About as good as it...

Clearing up the confusion: this set is a good thing
There's a lot of confusion in some of the low rated reviews that is based on a lack of information. No one is pulling bait and switch. Sony released the first three seasons then stopped. Shout! Factory has picked up the rights and is releasing this set. In the past they have also released the remaining seasons in individual season format for shows they picked up like this.

This set, beyond the creative packaging contains:

* All eight seasons on 25 discs
* Newly-produced and never-before-seen bonus features
* 32 page commemorative book
* New interviews with the cast (Linden, Gail, Vigoda)
* Original unaired pilot
* Writers' commentary on select episodes
* Entire first season of Fish (the Abe Vigoda spin-off).

The original news is here: [...]

Amazon is offering this at 30% off! This is an incredible deal, and beyond the best news fans of Barney Miller could have hoped for. Emmy- and Gold Globe-winning,...

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Herostratus [Blu-ray]

MICHAEL GOTHARD
IL FILM E' DI GENERE DRAMMATICO PSICOLOGICO, DIFFICILE DA INTERPRETARE LA PARTE DEL PROTAGONISTA, MA L'ATTORE MICHAEL GOTHARD CHE ALL'EPOCA ERA GIOVANISSIMO ERA GIA' MOLTO BRAVO E RIUSCI' AD INTERPRETARE LA PARTE DI UN POVERO GIOVANE DEPRESSO MA COMUNQUE BRILLANTE.

helen meiren
From a collection point of few...first movie with helen meiren has a definate 60's flare great color must have to complete a helen meiren collection

Derivative.
It influenced as much as it borrowed. Moments of brilliance are mixed with a bit of eye rolling. It's worth a look or two.

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The Men from Shiloh - The Final Season from The Virginian- 24 Full Color Episodes! - Special Embossed Tin Packaging!

A Slight Correction But Who Cares?
Having seen nearly every episode of The Virginian and The Men From Shiloh, when they were originally broadcast (yes, I am that old), I would like to correct a minor point in Amazon's Editorial Review. The timeline for The Men From Shiloh would have been, at the very least, the first decade of the 20th Century. In the first season of The Virginian, he (the Virginian), Trampas and Steve joined Col. Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders and fought in Cuba during The Spanish American War. The year was 1898. Several later episodes, in following years, referred to their combat experience. To be chronologically correct, The Men from Shiloh should have taken place some time around 1908. But, to be perfectly honest, I don't care what year they show on a calendar or the cornerstone of a building when watching an episode. This is still one of the best series every created, based on a classic of American literature. The Virginian, written by Owen Wister, was the first true "cowboy" story, a new...

A new title. Same great show
This was the final season of "The Virginian". They had changed the title and had moved the series on about 10 years.There was a new owner in Stewart Granger and James Drury had a new set of clothes and had grown his sideburns.Doug McClure was sporting a mustache as well as new get up.Lee Majors would also join the cast.There was also a new theme song by Ennio Morricone.This season would be different from the rest.They would rotate the stars each week so you would only see one of the main characters appear.They would mostly be away from the Shiloh Ranch on one adventure or another.This may be why the series ended as it didn't have the same feel about it and there was no family ambience to it.It could also be that the western was coming to an end and people were looking for something new.But this is still a great series sorely missed today.

very poor quality
This was a big disappointment. It claims to be digitally remastered but we would disagree! Picture and sound quality were extremely poor. We have old programs recorded directly from the TV that is better in quality. We hope someone else will pick-up the series and do a better job at remastering.

I would not recommend this product to anyone.

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