Miniseries - DVD

John Adams (HBO Miniseries)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 370 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Revolution addict 5 out of 5 stars.
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This series is not a history class snoozer. I enjoyed watching history unfold and finally understanding how the Constitution was enacted. If John Adams could see what is happening in our country today he would be appalled. We can only thank Darwin and the far left Democrats for it.

John Adams 5 out of 5 stars.
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This miniseries is true to it's period, each character is rich and truthful beyound means. I found Franklin to be exceptional since I have also read his biography. I also read the book. It is a must see.

Terry

John Adams 5 out of 5 stars.
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Excellant performances. I'm so glad I purchased this DVD. I have watched it several times.

"John Adams" Miniseries 5 out of 5 stars.
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John Adams (HBO Miniseries)
If you enjoy American History and some good acting, I would recommend this DVD collection. I was fortunate to visit the John Adams historic site in Massachusetts, and the series is quite accurate. It's an inspiring and encouraging story that will lead you to think about the personal struggles and ideals of those who attended the birth of our country. A well-done film.

Editorial Review:

Studio: Hbo Home Video Release Date: 06/10/2008 Run time: 501 minutes Rating: Pg

Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

An impressively rigorous, unsentimental, and harrowing look at combat during World War II, Band of Brothers follows a company of airborne infantry--Easy Company--from boot camp through the end of the war. The brutality of training takes the audience by increments to the even greater brutality of the war; Easy Company took part in some of the most difficult battles, including the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the failed invasion of Holland, and the Battle of the Bulge, as well as the liberation of a concentration camp and the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest. But what makes these episodes work is not their historical sweep but their emphasis on riveting details (such as the rattle of a plane as the paratroopers wait to leap, or a flower in the buttonhole of a German soldier) and procedures (from military tactics to the workings of bureaucratic hierarchies). The scope of this miniseries (10 episodes, plus an actual documentary filled with interviews with surviving veterans) allows not only a thoroughness impossible in a two-hour movie, but also captures the wide range of responses to the stress and trauma of war--fear, cynicism, cruelty, compassion, and all-encompassing confusion. The result is a realism that makes both simplistic judgments and jingoistic enthusiasm impossible; the things these soldiers had to do are both terrible and understandable, and the psychological price they paid is made clear. The writing, directing, and acting are superb throughout. The cast is largely unknown, emphasizing the team of actors as a whole unit, much like the regiment; Damian Lewis and Ron Livingston play the central roles of two officers with grit and intelligence. Band of Brothers turns a vast historical event into a series of potent personal experiences; it's a deeply engrossing and affecting accomplishment. --Bret Fetzer

Band of Brothers

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1224 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Band of Brothers 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great series. My husband has wanted this for quite sometime. He was greatly suprised when he opened the box. My uncle fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was taken prisoner by the Germans. This series protrays the battle "spot on" to what he told us about it.
Thank you HBO for putting it out on CD's.

Essential Introduction to the Greatest Generation To the Next Generation 5 out of 5 stars.
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Band of Brothers takes us from Boot camp through the great battles of the European Theater of operations to the final Victory against Hitler's Third Reich. Along the way, we see these Band of Brothers (from Shakespeare's famous speech in Henry V - "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...") as land at Normandy, weather the onslaught of Bastogne, cross into Germany, liberate a concentration camp and finish their tour of duty in Victory.

Each man is carefully studied archetype in American society from the tough mouthed city boys to more buoyant Midwestern toughs. The new officers must suffer the looks and doubts of the experienced dogfaces while the veteran officers must fulfill their missions - all the while dreading the loss of men that they have come to know and respect. We feel their hopes and dreams. We hope that they live to fulfill these dreams.

In perilous times such as the present fight against terrorism this DVD set is a fitting introduction and education that the threat of National Socialism and Radical Islam requires our attention, devotion and sacrifice now and for the Next Generation.

Watch the show with your family, including the children old enough to understand. Take the time to explain the history and threat. To give context to the duty of the soldiers to our Country. The reason for the genocide against the Jews. The need for future vigilance.

Editorial Review:

Based on the true-life bestseller band of brothers tells the story of easy company 506th regiment of 101st airborne division. Drawn from interviews with survivors as well as soldiers journals & letters this chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery & extraordinary fear. Studio: Hbo Home Video Release Date: 06/06/2006 Starring: Kirk Acevedo David Schwimmer

Centennial: The Complete Series

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 271 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A remarkably ambitious and engrossing project, this 1978 television miniseries ran 26-and-a-half hours, cost a then-enormous $25 million, and involved 4 directors, 5 cinematographers, and somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 speaking parts. Based on James Michener's panoramic bestseller about the settling of the American West--as reflected in the history of a fictional town called Centennial, Colorado--the story begins in the late 18th century and ends with a typical 20th century conflict over land usage. Centennial, however, largely concentrates on various memorable frontiersmen, trappers, Indians, ranchers, cowboys, and farmers from long ago. Richard Chamberlain shines as the pioneer Alexander McKeag, Robert Conrad does some of his best work as French-Canadian Pasquinel, and performances by Alex Karras, Chad Everett, Sally Kellerman, Raymond Burr, Richard Crenna, David Janssen, and Dennis Weaver effectively add to a tapestry of adventure, tragedy, violence, and dubious Western progress. Produced at a time when TV networks were in the throes of acknowledging America's history of racial injustice, the program paints a starkly villainous portrait of opportunists exploiting and destroying Indians in the name of manifest destiny. While the project's great length might make one wary of diving in, Centennial is the sort of carefully paced drama that makes one care about the intertwined destinies of unique characters and how they illuminate America's past. --Tom Keogh

Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E, 1996)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1545 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent version, and had no problem with subtitles or color 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This is by far the best version of "Pride and Prejudice". I believe I have seen every one of them and none compares. Laurence Olivier was great of course as Darcy, but Colin Firth has completely captured the character. I doubt that any one will ever be able to portray Darcy better.
I am extremely satified that I purchased the 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition even though I all ready had the original DVD of the same produecton. It is definitely well worth the price. I strongly recommend it to every one. The DVDs come in a beautifully designed case, and I thoroughly enjoyed the accompanying behind-the-scenes disc. Even though Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle were busy making other movies and could not be on it, the remaining cast members were very entertaining. The accompanying book, "The Making of Pride and Prejudice" gave wonderful insights to the production. It is extremely well written and full of delightful pictures. If you are a fan, even if you have never seen Pride and Prejudice--do not pass up this one.
I do not understand the complaints submitted in several of the other reviews about the color of the film or it's not having subtitles. My 50" television was set at the factory suggested controls, and the color in the DVD was superb! The "woods" were so green and lush it made you feel as if you were actually there with Elizabeth. As far as the subtitles are concerned, I simply hit the "mute" button on my television remote control, and the subtitles were there.

Editorial Review:

Jane austens classic novel about the prejudice that occurred between the 19th century classes and the pride which would keep lovers apart. Studio: A&e Home Video Release Date: 11/25/2003 Starring: Colin Firth David Bamber Run time: 300 minutes Rating: Nr Director: Simon Langton

Cranford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 93 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

superb! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Set in rural England of the mid 19th century and featuring a group of gossipping women, this doesn't seem very likely, altho' several romances and deaths provide some interest. But this film is great viewing due to the excellence of its production. Script, performances (by a tremendous cast) and production values are topnotch: the BBC have not done so well since the 1995 Pride & Prejudice.
A special is promised for Christmas 2009, so this dvd will have plenty of time for frequent viewing.

WELL DONE LOVED IT 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Loved this series. The values they believed in and lived. Hard to find nowadays. Much to be learned from their integrity. Well acted and beautifully filmed. Have lent it out to others who have never heard of it and they loved it to and don't want to give it back.

Charming 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Cranford is an unchanging village with traditions its loathe to part with. A lovely capsule of life in a small town.... Gossips, romances, traditions and grief, all in the life of the inhabitants of Cranford. Judi Dench and the cast are all wonderful.

Editorial Review:

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 05/20/2008 Run time: 295 minutes Rating: Nr

V - The Final Battle

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 98 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Though followers of current science fiction television series may dismiss V: The Final Battle as a quaint relic from the pre-computer animation days, the six-hour miniseries about an alien invasion of Earth was a ratings juggernaut for NBC in 1984 and should still provide some entertainment for hard-bitten devotees and fans of '50s-style sci-fi. The Final Battle picks up four months after the shock conclusion of the 1983 prequel miniseries, with a small group of humans known as the Resistance struggling to convince their fellow humans that a fleet of seemingly friendly visitors from space are in fact bent on world domination.

Executive producer Kenneth Johnson (who oversaw most aspects of the first series) only supervised the sequel's script (which underwent several changes before its airing), and the writing occasionally suffers due to the lack of his attention. But the series still delivers its share of action and intrigue, as well as one showstopping gruesome moment involving the birth of interspecies twins. Acting is again a stumbling block, with leads Marc Singer and Faye Grant as bland as any performers from the American International Pictures stable; character actor Michael Ironside makes the strongest impression as a tough Resistance member, and a pre-Freddy Krueger Robert Englund is amusing as a kind-hearted alien. The miniseries was followed by an inevitable weekly series featuring most of the same cast, which was demolished in the ratings by Dallas, but a faithful Resistance-like following remains to this day. --Paul Gaita

V - The Original TV Miniseries

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 188 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In its day, V was a monumental event that for one generation remains a pop-culture touchstone. Close Encounters of the Third Kind may have reassured us that perhaps we have nothing to fear from alien visitors and E.T. introduced us to a benign extraterrestrial who only wanted to go home, but Kenneth Johnson's 1983 television miniseries knew better. Visitors who claim to come in peace are revealed to be nothing but human-looking reptilians on human conversion and conquest. As in the dark days of fascism, some collaborate with the enemy; others form the resistance.

At the time, the epic scale of this production was unprecedented. Those 50 motherships that hover over Earth's major cities anticipate Independence Day by more than a decade. The special effects and makeup are still awesome. Less so is the often-hackneyed dialogue. But thanks to their signature roles, the mostly no-star cast, most of whom would be reunited for a sequel and subsequent television series, have ensured themselves standing invitations to sci-fi conventions. Marc Singer is cameraman-turned-freedom-fighter Mike Donovan. Julie Parrish is a medical student-turned-rebel. Richard Herd is the aliens' supreme commander. Jane Bradler is Diana, the ravishing but ruthlessly ambitious alien science officer. Leonardo Cimino lends dignity to his heavy-handed allegorical role as a Holocaust survivor. Look for a pre-Freddy Krueger Robert Englund as one of the aliens.

The DVD is presented for the first time in widescreen format. Supplemental features include an amiable and enlightening director's commentary and a brief "making of" segment. --Donald Liebenson

The 10th Kingdom

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 616 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This epic 10-hour miniseries from the Emmy-winning writer of Gulliver's Travels was a ratings bust on television, but on video and DVD, where it can be enjoyed at one's leisure, it has a better chance to cast its magical spell. Kimberly Williams has never been more enchanting than as Virginia, a waitress who still lives with her janitor father (John Larroquette) and yearns for something exciting to happen to her. Her wish comes true when she and her father are transported from New York City into a dimension that, with apologies to Rod Serling, can only be called the Fairy Tale Zone; nine kingdoms populated by characters from fairy tales of yore. They team up with a dog who's really a prince--Wendell, grandson of Snow White--changed into canine form by the evil Queen (Dianne Wiest), who plots to usurp Wendell's throne. Father, daughter, and his royal dogness are relentlessly pursued through the nine kingdoms by the Troll King (Ed O'Neill) and his three bumbling and horrible children, and the conflicted Wolf (Scott Cohen), who is allied with the Queen but, with the aid of some Oprah-esque self-help books, tames his inner beast and falls in love with Virginia. The 10th Kingdom is a special effects extravaganza. There is indeed, as one character marvels, magic to behold here. But despite the Hallmark brand name and the presence of a grown-up Snow White (Camryn Manheim) and Cinderella (Ann-Margret), bewitched animals, magic mirrors, and trolls, this is not kid's stuff. It can get scary, surprisingly violent, and quite intense; you know, just like real fairy tales. --Donald Liebenson

Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (Sci-Fi TV Miniseries) (Two-Disc DVD Set)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 181 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Conspiracies abound in Children of Dune, Sci-Fi Channel's praiseworthy miniseries sequel to Frank Herbert's Dune, loyally adapted from the Herbert novels Dune Messiah and Children of Dune by John Harrison, who passed directorial duties (due to a scheduling conflict) to Greg Yaitanes, a 31-year-old TV director and Dune neophyte tackling his biggest assignment to date. Uninitiated viewers face a disadvantage; it's best to read Herbert's books and/or see the first miniseries before plunging into this remarkably coherent tangle of political intrigue, unfolding 12 years after the events of Dune.

To his horror, Maud'Dib--Arrakis emperor Paul Atreides (Alec Newman, reprising his Dune role)--has become the unintended figurehead of a violent dictatorship, and his enemies are multiplying. Vanishing into the desert, he waits as destiny shapes his twin heirs Leto II (James McAvoy) and Ghanima (Jessica Brooks), who must contend with their scheming aunt Alia (Daniela Amavia) while Princess Wensicia (Susan Sarandon), of the enemy House Corrino, plots her own attack on Maud'Dib's familial empire. Exiled Atreides matriarch Lady Jessica (Alice Krige, giving the film's finest performance) returns to Arrakis, where the enormous, desert-dwelling sandworms face an uncertain future. As always, the spice must flow, and the universe's most coveted commodity remains at the center of this richly detailed and physically impressive production. Special effects range from awesome (fly-over shots of the capital city, Arakeen) to awful (the saber-tooth tigers look like Jumanji rejects), and Dune devotees will endlessly debate the miniseries' strengths and weaknesses. Some may desire more action to punctuate the film's inherent verbosity, but consensus will surely conclude that this is Dune done right, with monumental effort and obvious devotion from everyone involved. --Jeff Shannon