Sword Masters: The Heroic Ones*Shaw Brothers* (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)An allstar-stellar cast and the most invested film of it's time -a purported million dollars or more was apparently spent on this production- Ku feng, deservedly is cast as the father of an elite clan of sons who are all very good warriors. David Chiang and Ti Lung are his favorites though and this is beginning to offend some of their siblings leading to a revolt and tragedy for the entire family. This film probably has one of the highest or THE highest body count of any Shaw Brothers film. Bolo even makes an apparence in the beginning of the story. Extremely well written, an all out production, with fine acting make this film a must have by any Shaw Bros. collector. If this DVD comes with the english dubbs Shaws fans are instore for quite a treat. The translations are excellent for the english dubbs in this film.


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No screen team was more triumphant in the Golden Age of kung-fu cinema than the iron triangle of director Chang Cheh and his protégés David Chiang and Ti Lung. This is their quintessential historical epic, set during the waning years of the Tang Dynasty. It s literally brother against brother as David Chiang and Ti Lung display their remarkable martial arts prowess battling insiders and outsiders in a duel to the death for the fate of China.

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The Phantom of the Opera (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)First off I rated this movie based on how much I enjoyed it... which is obviously quite a lot. The movie does have some inconsistencies and some acting that could have been better. (mostly in regards to American actors trying to sound British)
But if we're going to review this film fairly, we're going to have to quit comparing Englund's Phantom to Freddy. They have very little in common other than they're both hamburger-faced, viciously kill people and that they're played by the same actor. But what about the Phantom's one-liners in this film? Well, the Phantom is a bitter misanthrope, so that is where his hateful sarcasm comes from. Freddy's humor comes from the fact that he's gleefully toying with his victims. That said, I think this is a very interesting take on the Phantom legend. The story goes something like this; a young singer auditions for an Opera using a piece of music by an unknown composer, who also happened to be a murderer. She's hit in the head when a stagehand drops a sandbag and in a dream state experiences her past life in the 19th century London Opera. (the setting is changed from Paris to London, possibly to give the Phantom more of a "Jack the Ripper" edge) The familiar story then begins. Christine is tutored by her "Angel", becomes a big star and the Phantom then does anything and kills anyone to ensure her continuing success. The biggest differences in this film (besides its London setting) from the original story are that rather than being a genius born with a horrible deformity, the Phantom is a man who sold his soul to the devil for the immortality of his music. The price happened to be his face. He also gains supernatural powers and immortality for himself, as long as his music remains. (a concept borrowed from The Picture of Dorian Gray and De Palmas Phantom of the Paradise) Also instead of wearing a mask, this Phantom skins his victims, patching up his own face, using crude proto-Plastic Surgery with their scraps. There is no chandelier fall in this film, but it is the first version since 1925 to include the masquerade party, where the Phantom shows up in his Red Death costume. There's plenty of blood and guts in this film as the Phantom slashes his way through his enemies. One great scene has him facing a group of would-be muggers in a dark alley. The imagery is overwhelmingly gothic. Very moody. The phantom's underground sanctum, riddled with candles and a pipe organ is classic. The film did badly, I think mainly because it came in the wake of Webber's extremely popular romantic stage musical. Everyone had their idea of what a Phantom film should be, and this just wasn't it. This Phantom was too evil to pity, and he wasn't very romantic. But when you look at the movie objectively, it's pretty good. Much better than most horror films in the 80's. And next to Freddy, Eric Destler-The Phantom is one of Robert Englunds best performances. He's absolutely wonderful. He makes him a very complex character. On one hand he's a very sensitive, brilliant artist with a kind of nobility to him. On the other hand, he's an almost diabolical character. Evil and power-mad. Englund plays this out very well. As I said there are problems. Some things are never properly explained. How the Phantom retains his reign of terror over the Opera isn't fully explored. How did the Phantom go from being a superstitious "theater tradition" to a legend about a man who sold his soul to the devil for music? How did Christine know the words to the Phantom's music? Why didn't she seem surprised at all when her "Angel" turned out to be a recluse living underground? Anyway, I'm nit-picking. Over all a very enjoyable film and a must see for Robert Englund fans.


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In this house of music, evil strikes the final chord! Horror legend Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street) assumes the classic role of the Phantom in this shocking, nerve-jangling retelling of Gaston LerouxÂ's timeless tale of music, madness and murder!An aspiring opera singer finds herself transported back to Victorian-era London – and into the arms of a reclusive, disfigured maestro determined to make her a star. The silver-throated Christine (Jill Schoelen) enjoys success through the arrangements of her new lover (Englund)Â...until she realizes that he has been committing unspeakably grisly murders in her honor and wonÂ't stop until heÂ's completed his masterpieceÂ...in blood!

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Looney Tunes Super Stars: Daffy Duck Frustrated Fowl Review

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(More customer reviews)Warner has done something here that they never did with the Golden Collection DVDs, they CROPPED the picture of the 1954+ cartoons to make them look widescreen. The animators at Warner Brothers NEVER animated for wide screen until the 1980 revival. This is evident in the first CROPPED cartoon DESIGN FOR LEAVING (1954), there are jokes missing because they are in the upper or lower portions of the picture which are not there now. Maybe they were shown at the theaters this way, but I want to see them the way the animators intended us to see them.
I have already contacted the powers that be at Warner Home Video to request a re-call and issue a proper un-cropped DVD of these classic cartoons.
This would have NEVER happened in the Golden Collection sets. Someone who does not know better must be in charge now!
"Frustrated Fowl" is the best way to describe this DVD! This will be the LAST Looney Tunes DVD that I buy if this is going to be the new standard. Keep the old un-cropped Laserdiscs, a TRAVESTY has been committed here!
1-800-553-6937 is the Warner Home Video customer service number.
****DAFFY DILLY information****
When Daffy Dilly was first released to theaters on October 30 1948, it was a two-strip CINECOLOR Nitrate film. One color was on each side of the print. On August 18 1956 Warner Brothers re-released the cartoon, re-mastered as a three-strip TECHNICOLOR Safety film (replacing the original titles & credits with the new 'Blue Ribbon' titles).
The original 2-strip Nitrate negatives were either lost or destroyed after this. BUT a Safety film 16mm archival CINECOLOR print has survived with all of the original titles & credits. Warner Home Video did transfer this print to Hi-resolution video but decided the cost of restoring it up to the quality of the three-strip Technicolor 35mm negatives was prohibitive & they opted not to include it on this DVD.
Personally, I would have put up with scrates & low fidelity sound in the titles (CINECOLOR used a blue sound track which does not re-produce well) just so that we could see the original Cinecolor titles & end title.

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Episodes: Tick Tock Tuckered, Nasty Quacks, Daffy Dilly, Wise Quackers, The Prize Pest, Design for Leaving, Stork Naked, This Is a Life?, Dime to Retire, Ducking the Devil, People Are Bunny, Person to Bunny, Daffy's Inn Trouble, The Iceman Ducketh, Suppressed Duck

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