The Shelter of God's Promises DVD-Based Bible Study

Excellent series on God's promises
We are finishing up the 10-week series and I would highly recommend it to any women's group wanting to go deeper in their understanding of God's promises. This study started in response to going through difficult times and has been of great encouragement and a blessing as our group has walked through this together. The DVD had us laughing and crying; and smiling again as we learned how God has the answer, again and again, and this was so encouraging.

The participants guide has additional material that can be done through the week, to go deeper in your study. The questions for discussion were so popular it was a hard to end each lesson and end for the night. And I was blessed by how much this helped old and recent hurts and the healing that happened. Already I'm being asked when Sheila's next series is. The response to this study has been wonderful.

God's promises are not broken
One of the things that really struck me about this book was how Sheila was able to present each of the promises in such a way that I could see how they fit in perfectly with my life. This helped to reminded me that no matter what, God has made certain promises that are shared with us through the Bible. And unlike humans, God does not break his promises.

Sheila Walsh shares these promises through stories and Bible references in a way that will change the way you look at life.

This is a must watch for everyone one.

There is also a book that can be purchased separately. I love the fact that she includes a Bible study with the book. That way you can learn through using your own personal Bible how these promises can be linked to your life.

In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with...

Good Bible Study Material
I received " The Shelter of God's Promises: DVD Based Bible Study " by Sheila Walsh in e-galley format from Thomas Nelson Publishing through NetGalley for review purposes. (Note: I did not receive the DVD for review, just the participant's guide.)

This bible study package includes a participant's guide, leader's guide and other materials, making this a wonderful way to host a home bible study at a reasonable price. Walsh discusses God's Promises to us. God promised us: Jesus, Provision, Peace, Confidence, Love, Grace, Hope, Strength, More and Home. Sheila Walsh presents God's Promises to you in a way that leaves you with peace. Through a home group setting participants are able to bring their own experiences to share with other group members and together all can share in the realization that God's promises are faithful. I enjoyed this study. I recommend this bible study to any church or home bible study group.

I received a copy of this title for review...

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Ultimate Jordan (Four-Disc Deluxe Limited Edition) [Blu-ray]

This BluRay is in Low Definition Picture Quality
When you buy a BluRay, you expect HD Quality, and not VHS Quality.
Unfortunately, the source material used in this BluRay was probably from VHS and so the quality suffers.
The resolution looks worse than DVD quality (appears more blurry than 720x480) even though the technical
specs on the packaging says 1080p (1920x1080). This makes sense as the source data is low resolution.
You can re-master VHS a million times and the resolution won't get any higher. As far as content is
concerned, another reviewer correctly stated that this BluRay has less material than the 3-Disc Anniversary
Edition DVD. The only reason to buy this is if you can no longer find the DVD version.

VHS Quality
There was a time in my life where I would watch Come Fly With Me almost daily.
I remember all the moves, the dialog, etc. I tried doing all the moves in the playground right after watching the movie.

Needless to say i was so psyched to hear about this collection coming to Bluray.

I preordered it as soon as I could.

I was a bit disappointed that they would release something like this. There was no improvement from the DVD version. There were even times where you'd see some pixelation on the movies. Very disappointing. It's like watching youtube sometimes. Was the source material really that bad that they couldn't improve on it any more?

Michael Jordan (Deluxe Limited Edition) Blu-ray Review
Well, let me begin by stating all the good about this compilation. The good is that if you are a Jordan fan, like obviously I am, then you are considering purchasing the most comprehensive collection of Jordan moments EVER, and at a very fair to affordable price. I have been a Jordan fan for pretty much all of my life. Now in my latter 20's these moments still bring a childlike exuberance for my childhood hero, this legendary athlete. Furthermore, to those fans of "the game" of basketball who will be witnessing MJ for the first time you are especially in for a real treat! Not only is "Air Jordan's" most spectacular moments brought back to life in this collection, the moments have been restored in high definition blu-ray quality. Really! We all know about the hype of movies and sports on blu-ray discs, but these moments actually look better SO MUCH BETTER than when they actually took place. Also, all of you long time fans can finally stop worrying so much about trying to preserve your...

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Doctor Who: The Mutants (Story 63)

Very underrated 6-parter, on the evils of empires
Upon seeing the old bearded man running towards the screen through the mist and bushes at the onset of the story, no, it isn't the "It's..." man from Monty Python's first season. Rather, it's a mutant native of Solos, derogatorily called "Mutts" by the Marshal of Solos.

The appearance of a small sphere resembling a cross between a basketball and a coconut is a three-line whip from the Time Lords to the Doctor, a task that's an emergency. The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Jo to a Skybase hovering over Solos in the 30th century Earth Empire. "Once [Earth] sacked the solar system, they moved on to pastures new. Solos is one of them, one of the last [to gain independence]. Did you ever read Gibbons' Decline and Fall?... Empires rise and empires fall."

They instantly fall in trouble. The Marshal, the blustering, stout colonial ruler of Solos with piggish eyes and expression, is stunned to hear that Earth is finally giving Solos its independence...

"MUUUTT!!!!!!!"
This is one of the Third Doctor's best episodes!

It is an action-packed 6-parter from Pertwee's golden period.

An empire is in decay and a world is left ravaged by the evils of colonialism. The Doctor goes against the ruthless Marshal of the planet Solos and works to uncover the mystery behind the monstrous mutation of the Solonian people. The Marshall rules Solos from his orbiting Skybase and will stop at nothing to prevent the weary Earth Empire from retracting and granting Solos its independence.

Those who liked Colony in Space and Frontier in Space will enjoy this epic Doctor Who socio-political thriller.

Un-people Doing Un-things Un-together
This is an enjoyable story from the middle of the Pertwee era. While it is not highly regarded by many fans, I have always liked this story. The story basics are the Doctor receives an odd object, and tells Jo that it is an important message that must be delivered. Jo follows the Doctor into the TARDIS and they end up on an Earth Sky Base orbiting the planet Solos quite far in the future. The Earth Empire is declining - they can no longer afford to keep far-flung colonies such as Solos going, so control of Solos is being returned to native populations. Mucking things up are warring factions among the native populations, apparent mutations among the native population, the murder of an Earth government official, members of the Earth force that don't want to give up control of Solos, and atmospheric experiments to make the atmosphere breathable by humans.

This was done in the middle of Pertwee's 5-year stay in the role, and it shows. John Pertwee is very comfortable and...

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Gretry: L'Amant Jaloux

Nice music, modest staging
Gretry's comic operas were very popular in France before the revolution. This particular one is quite nice, although not a masterpiece. The music flows easily and there are some very nice arias. The production is modest, even intimate. Quite effective for this opera. The orchestra and the singers look young and they perform beautiful. As long as you don't expect a masterpiece sung and played by the best in the world, this DVD is very enjoyable. Mozart was staying in Paris when this opera was composed. You can hear some Mozart hints here and there. This is the only recording known to me on DVD, which I recommend for those that want to hear and listen to more than the most famous operas. Musically, Gretry reflects the character and the situation with his melodies without exaggerating much. Simple and delicate arias. Worth watching and listening to.





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Group Marriage

Code Red has done a fabulous job on this Stephanie Rothman drive-in classic
Always been a fan of the drive-in exploitation flicks of the early '70s. Stephanie Rothman was a female director ahead of her time, and besides being in a world where directors were men (this was way before Kathryn Bigelow). This to me is one of my favorites by her. Some may be disturbed that there isn't more t&a with a title like Group Marriage. We do get the drive-in queen Claudia Jennings. Glad to see Code Red releasing Rothman's classics (along with Terminal Island and Working Girls). These are great looking transfers from Rothman's own private collection. Colors aren't washed out like you would think for the film stock from 1973. The only disappointment about these features are the lack of a Stephanie Rothman commentary. Don't know why, I would love to hear about the struggles of being a female director in an all male Hollywood. With this minor quibble, this title (and the other two Code Red releases) are worth the buy. Oh, did I already tell ya, this ones got Claudia Jennings...

70s california cult film about alternative, er, sex arrangements
This is a comedy that is supposed to make a controversial statement about marriage. At its base is sex: a group gets together and agrees that exchanging partners is fine, so long as the others are willing. They move into a house owned by a bumper-sticker entrepreneur who translates his hostility into money via nasty sayings. For what it's worth, there are a lot of laughs, titillation that never adds up to soft porn, and some pretty good characters. Unfortunately, the acting is ridiculously mediocre, though it is fun to see the old playboy bunny, Claudia Jennings in one of her better roles.

It is fun to view this as a 70s retro thing, where the free-love creed of the 60s is transmogrified into pure libertinism coupled with commercialism. Recommended for nostalgia's sake.

So Bad It's Good
The acting is overdone in some places, underdone in others, the plot is there but predictable...and I love it! I laughed so hard it stopped mattering whether or not I laughed because it is a comedy or just that bad.

The main girl decides to sleep with another man since her boyfriend is distracted with work. (While he is sleeping in the next room!) They talk about it and to even the score, her boyfriend plans to sleep with the other guy's girlfriend. All good? Well, no. First, we have to deal with jealousy in a very funny, obvious way. But it is resolved and moves pass "just sex" to the four of them moving in together and falling in love as a family. Through a few funny twists and turns, yet another couple joins them.

The writer mixes in real issues for those who choose to live this alternative life style (public opinin, "all that glitters isn't gold", working together as "one big family", a person wanting to "divorce" the group, legal issues, etc) but again, it's...

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The Guardian: Complete Series

One of the best series on TV
The Guardian was cancelled too soon. Thought provoking series - when did we last have one of those? A very intriguing DRAMA that explores the progression of a smart young corporate lawyer, Nick (Simon Baker), from heartless, cold corporate lawyer to that of a caring human being with a conscience. Nick loves money and replaces his emotional void with drugs until he is caught and sentenced to community service whose clientele are children. Excellent acting by the entire cast; the child actors are amazing. This series is not a feel good drama - the story lines are very realistic and common sense is second fiddle to the savagery of current laws. All of the characters are flawed and one watches how each struggles to live within their skins; some flounder - some rise to the top. What is right versus what is legal is explored throughout the series. I bring these DVDs to evening "dinner and a movie" gatherings of friends; I usually end up leaving them as friends want to watch more of...

Character, plot, and issue driven. Excellent series.
Other reviews already sum up the features of the show. I loved how the characters deal with issues in their own personal lives. Also, this is not your usual legal drama where the legal issues are either about corporate or individual crime.

More of the legal situations are about legal-aid, family issues. I personally believe there was a lot of realism in these situations rather than corporate or individual crime.

However, a huge part of the drama is about inner character issues with the characters. I believe that the issues are presented very realistically when there are personal or ethical questions that arise. But the issues are always an integral part of interesting plot developments.

Some dramas like to laugh issues off or start focusing too much on a particular romance. I have nothing against romance in dramas with many facets, and this series has been able to balance elements of plot.

The Guardian Complete Series
This was a fabulous series starring Simon Baker and Daphne Coleman. It took a long time for it to be on DVD, but it is now and anyone enjoying Baker in The Mentalist, should snatch this up. You'll enjoy hours of fabulous viewing at a great price!

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Ultimate Jordan (Deluxe Limited Edition)

Excellent Michael Jordan Material
This 7 disc set currently sells for $37 on Amazon. It is really excellent. While it has five good films that focus on Jordan's career, his acceptance speech during his Hall of Fame induction, and some of his greatest moves, I was especially interested in the five games that are shown in their entirety. The only other reviewer of this set, as of the time of my writing this, was disappointed that the producers didn't present the games' highlights instead, but I really liked seeing the whole games. Here are the games that are featured:

Disc 3: 1986 Eastern Conference Playoffs, Chicago vs Boston. Boston has the best record in the conference with 67 wins and 15 loses, while Chicago has the worst record in the conference with 52 loses. Jordan missed

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie's Masquerade with Mickey Mote

More Disney fun for kids!
Disney has done it again- another wholesome, fun and entertaining set of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes! My girls, ages 4 and 5, are consistently captivated by these shows, and this DVD is no exception. The shows encourage kids to think and to problem-solve. These episodes reinforce basic skills like counting, sorting, completing patterns, days of the week, and identifying shapes. The shows are full of interactive fun, music, and dancing with Mickey and company. Each of the five episodes runs about 24 minutes, making them the perfect length for small kids. This DVD contains the following episodes:

"Minnie's Masquerade"- Minnie and the rest of the gang plan a masquerade ball
"Minnie's Mouske-Calendar"- Minnie loses the pages of her calendar, and must find them and put them back together
"A Surprise for Minnie"- Mickey wants to come up with something special for Minnie for Valentine's Day
"Secret Spy Daisy"- Daisy leads the group on a mission to protect...

Warning: Your daughter will watch this over, and over, and over...
My daughter (who will be 3 next month), has been eagerly waiting for, what she has been calling, "The Minnie Mouse Princess Movie," to be released. She had seen the preview for it on tv, and every time we walked by the DVD's in any store, she would start looking for and asking for it. Knowing how bad she wanted this movie, I went ahead and pre-ordered it from Amazon. It arrived yesterday while she was napping. So when she woke up from her nap, I presented her with her surprise. She gasped, put her hands on her cheeks and squealed, "The Minnie Mouse Princess Movie!!!!" She was so excited when I put it on for her! Our copy came with a cardboard/paper mask that she proudly wore throughout the entire episode.
She was not disappointed in this movie. Since yesterday afternoon, she has watched it probably 6-8 times! Definitely a new favorite! And definitely a must have for all the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse fans in your household! Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes are educational...

Kids Cannot Get Enough
My 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter love it. Both are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse fans, but they really love the dress-up story and have enjoyed watching the video several times.

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Sylphide

I'm in love with Aurelie Dupont's Sylphide.
I'm in love with Aurelie Dupont's Sylphide. She is so exquisitely lovely and so elusive. She enchants, she's now coy, now a vamp, when you reach out to grasp her, she disappears. She is that ideal of love never obtained, of art never fulfilled. Ms. Dupont captures all of this in every gesture of her body, every expression on her face, every nod of her head, every finger. She is the sublime practitioner of superb dancer and supreme mime.
Sylphide, the ballet has had a curious history. It was pieced together by the great dance-master Filippo Taglioni out of tales of that exotic (then) land, Scotland and a bucolic wedding of a local farmer who has romantic dreams of other worldly sprites. The combination was put together with a wistful musical score by Jean-Madelene Schneitzhoeffer, a contract composer. But the secret ingredient was the ballet-masters daughter, Maria Taglioni. She transfored the world of ballet in many ways. She danced en pointe to effect a sylph-like flight. (She...

DuPont is special
While. DuPont stars in many lead roles, La Sylphede seems to have been especially written for her. She has the right mix of the ethereal and the coquette. While ably supported by an excellent group of dancers, she stands above them in this truly memorable performance.

Excellent ballet very well danced
Pickings are slim for good classical full-length ballets on DVD. Rarely will you find excellent quality. This is about as good as it gets for anything more than just a couple years old. Matthieu Ganio is not my favorite James, but he is very good. The costumes and set are lovely, adding to the ballet without distracting. Aurelie Dupont is a stunningly beautiful Sylphide whose lingering arabesques will make you hold your breath, and whose leaps are so graceful they appear to be playing in slow motion. Her death is heart-wrenchingly sad and beautiful as she practically melts into the ground before her sisters bear her away. If you appreciate graceful French arms, you'll love these sylphides. They are quite lovely! And the witch is a treat! From hair and makeup and costume that will delight, to excellent acting and wonderful pantomime skills that dance along that narrow path that is neither so subtle as to be difficult to follow, nor so over-done as to border on melodrama.

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Sons of Hollywood

Great performances
Great job, gentlemen. I was absolutely convinced that these three were clueless, spoiled and delusional children of famous people. Playing stupid is not easy, but these three nail it with such grace and aplomb that I gave them a standing ovation ... although I was sitting at the time and not clapping.

Also, Sean Stewart? Oh man, he nailed it as the world's most unlikable person. I hope the Oscar voters keep him in mind when it comes time. A riveting performance of a heartbreaking and sad life. Bravo!

What I respected most was the way these three actually were so convincingly delusional in that were going somewhere with their careers! Hysterically played, lads! Only sychophants of their rich fathers would ever give them the time of day!

A hilarious show!
I watched this show religiously when it aired originally on A&E. I also taped it on VHS, old school! Having it on DVD makes it all the more better! These guys are hilarious. Sean Stewart is one of my favorite people and never fails to entertain! Watch the ups and downs and the many parties, you can't get enough. If you like to laugh and be entertained, buy this DVD series!



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Minkus: La Bayadere [Blu-ray]

Nunez is lovely, but no one else is
La Bayadere - Royal Ballet

The Royal Ballet comes from long line of amazing, gorgeous dancers: Fonteyn, Shearer, Nureyev and Sibley are names that evoke some of the best in ballet. However, it seems that England's own has gotten a little lost.

The staging of this Bayadere--set by Natalia Makarova--is lovely, taken after the former Kirov (now Mariinsky). It is in all senses of the word, a classical ballet. While not Petipa's strongest work, the choreography is nothing less than what you would expect from him. Minkus's score is pleasant and suited to the ballet, and one can see why it is a standard, long lasting composition. I have no issue with any aspects of the staging or spectacle of this ballet. On top of it, the Blu Ray recording is absolutely stunning in quality, and well filmed. There are no missing dancers, chopped off feet, or misplaced shots. Additionally, the costumes are so stunning that Blu Ray makes them dazzle. One can see every detail, down to the...

A Feat for the Royal Ballet
La Bayadere, with music by Ludwig Minkus, shines in a new light in the Royal Ballet's production by Natalia Makarova.
Altynai Asylmuratova and Darcey Bussell provide a spectacular performance, in both their technique and artistry. Asylmuratova transforms into a delicate creature, with near-perfect port de bras, and beautiful hyperextended arms. Bussell dances a virtuous Gamzatti, extremely dramatic in acting scenes, while very joyful in some dances. Irek Mukhamedov does a solid job of Solor, proving to be a brilliant partner for both Asylmuratova and Bussell, while showing true mastery of all of the technicalities and variations that are demanded in the ballet. Testuya Kumakawa dances a brilliant Bronze Idol; at times transfixing the viewer in awe of a human statue. In this production, the High Brahmin was selected immaculately, showing Dowell's dramatic and frightening acting ability. However, the corps de ballet does not represent the cleanness and perfection of the Russian...

The Perfect Cast
It is truly a joy to watch Darcey Bussell dance. Her graceful limbs are of perfect shape, her long tapering arms are always held just right, fingers dangle stylishly. She looks like an exquisite statue come to life immaculate, cold. No matter what steps she takes they're just right. She is partnered in this cast with the perfect Solor in the person of Irek Mukhamedov. He is tall enough to tower over Ms. Bussell, who is tall for a ballerina, and he is himself statuesque. He is a powerful presence of the most manly physique (and beautiful butt) and knows it. His dancing is also just right; exact steps, body placed accurately, masculine, emotionless. The perfect foil for Ms Bussell. Then there is the feather-light Nikiya of Altynai Asylmuratova with her perfect Port de Bras. She is a delicate warm vapor in pure white, who is all emotion and love, she is the living human fragile being caught in between the games of the other two. She is the innocent one for whom Solor'a affection runs hot...

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On Any Sunday Boxset

On any day of the week!
I don't like motorcycles but I do like this movie! Bruce Brown's ability to wrap a viewer up in a blanket of entertainment is uncanny. He approaches this documentary about motorcycle racing and recreation with a zeal and thoroughness that leaves you wanting more by the film's end. Featuring Steve McQueen, Malcolm Smith and Mert Lawwill - coupled with a snappy and involving music score by Dominic Frontiere (The Outer Limits series), On Any Sunday is sure to please.

On Any Sunday - A movie that can be enjoyed by anyone!
On Any Sunday is an outstanding effort by Burce Brown. It combines motorcycle action, humor and an indepth look at the exciting and sometimes dangerous world of professional motorcycle racing. Having recently seen it again for the first time in almost 30 years, I was inspired to write a letter to Mert Lawwill thanking him for some wonderful memories of my own dirt bike riding days and the Harley I owned. In turn, he wrote me back and included an autographed copy of him hanging it out sideways on a flat track in his hay day. What a great deal. My wife even enjoyed it enough to watch it with my twice in the two days we rented it. Rent it, buy it, watch it. You'll enjoy it!

A Movie For Absolutely Anyone
Please, please, please buy this movie as a gift to yourself. Once you've seen it you'll probably buy it for many others. It makes an extremely inexpensive and extremely enjoyable gift for anyone.

My wife is the person least interested in motorcycles in the world. She absolutely loves this movie, along with my 17-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter. My 5-year-old twin daughters love it most of all. They call it the "voom-voom-movie" because that's the first sound you hear.

Everyone from grandma to motorcyle freaks to babies will love this film.

It is so much more than just a motorcycle movie. It's about the love of leisurely and competitive motorcycling all around the world. It's about the only superstar actor ever who was a bona-fide competitive motorcycle racer, Steve McQueen. It's about $2.00 parts costing tens of thousands of dollars in prizes. It's about paying for the love of a sport with your life. It's about the poetry of a group of...

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ZBrush Hard Surface Techniques

Very good. Very thorough
This tutorial could be somewhat intimidating to new users because of the speed at which Mike Jensen goes (not a complaint). So it would help if you familiarize yourself with the ZBrush UI first. That said, Mike Jensen does go over customizing the UI for this tutorial, which I think is great. Now, he is very very good! He knows ZBrush and knows how to make best use of the brushes and other utilities. His explanations are thorough and easily followed (don't forget, you can pause). I am completely knew to ZBrush and I am NOT having a difficult time following the explanations. As quickly as Mike Jensen goes, he explains each step very well. I plan on viewing the course first (no ZBrush) so I know what to expect when I actually open ZBrush up and follow along. Although, it is a lengthy at course 7.5 hours, I can understand why, as it is a very detailed sculpt, and completely appreciate the time Mike has put into this tutorial. I highly recommend this to anyone, new or advanced...





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Abbado Conducts Mahler: Symphony 5 [Blu-ray]

Superb in every way
It's a great pleasure to see this appear in blu-ray. This DVD is superb in every way. The performance is incandescent, and the visual quality is greatly enhanced from the original (non blu-ray) issue. These concerts by Claudio Abbado and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra are the finest Mahler performances we have ever had. Now let's hope their performance of the Seventh, which appeared in 2006, will be issued soon on blu-ray.

Experience this Mahler 5
It almost goes without saying that Abbado and the Lucerne Orchestra give a superb performance. You won't be disappointed. The surround sound too is exceptionally vivid, with the force of the fortissimo near the start of the first movement almost hitting you like a shock wave. Soloists are perhaps slightly less "highlighted" than in previous issues but the overall sound is very natural and impressive. Recommended - without reservation.

PERFECTION
I received my copy two weeks ago and already have watched it four times. Frankly, it is quite boring to review Abbado's Mahler symphonies, nothing to complain about. The picture and sound are perfect and the performance of-course. I would say that the picture quality is similar to the third symphony and the performance and sound quality are better than his CD from many years ago. You will not regret it.

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The Darling Buds of May

British Sitcoms
I am a devout fan of British comedy and own many of them on DVD and VHS. I am gradually replacing the ones on VHS with the DVD format as they become available and was very happy to be able to purchase "The Darling Buds of May" on DVD. I am a great fan of David Jason. (Loved him in "Open All Hours", which I also have). The beautiful Catherine Zeta Jones is also a pleasure to watch and Pam Ferris was marvelous as the mother of that large brood. The great thing about having my favorite shows on DVD is that I can watch them again and again whenever if need a good laugh. Thanks for providing the British shows and keep them coming. There are many good ones that I would like to own on DVD.
Florence E. Dryer

"Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May"
"And summer's lease hath all too short a date." from Shakespeare's sonnet XVIII

The "Darling Buds of May" is a 1991 TV series about a quite unconventional and flamboyant family in rural England in the 1950s.

While each episode is unique and fun to watch and actually picked up the series to see the early works of Catherine Zeta-Jones playing the part of Mariette the voluptuous daughter in the family. Little did I know that I would fall in love with all the characters.

I came to this series originally after watching "The Mating Game" starring Debbie Reynolds, Tony Randall, Paul Douglas, and Fred Clark, which is more of a PG comedy based on the same characters based on first book of "The Darling buds of May" written by H.E. BATES; which was written and set in 1958.

Series 1
1. "The Darling Buds of May" (7 & 14 April 1991)
2. "When the Green Woods Laugh" (21 & 28 April 1991)
3." A Breath of French Air" (5 & 12 May 1991)...

Fun
This is a favorite of mine, I love storys set in ye olde England like Lazonby Trips the Light Fantastic. The food is great fun, the family life is great fun, the people are great fun, generally great fun all round. Not for the pretensious but lots of fun.

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Nude Photo Shoot

These girls love to be nude
It is very obvious that these girls love to be nude. They teach basic photography with such grace and excitement, and certainly are very comfortable in their own skin. How do you make nude photography seem so fun? Watch these girls and you will find out. I was pleased to see that this film is probably `R' rated for simple nudity. The girls would probably have performed the very same if they were clothed, but they were nude throughout. I would buy this film again for the fun of it. I hope there is a sequel.





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The Boaters Guide to Twin Screw Boat Handling

Boaters Guide to Twin Screw Boat Handling
The beginning was great, good concepts in part 1.
The 270- 360 degree turns were good - very informative.
The two views of the boat movement and controls helps a lot.
Part 3 on parallel docking was good, but limited to no wind or just wind on. Would have helped to have seen parallel docking with wind blowing off the dock. As well as un-docking with wind on to dock using bow or stern spring lines.
The part on bow into the dock and walking the boat to the center of the slip was very good. But again that was with calm conditions.
The guide lacked docking the boat stern into the slip all together, and just a mention of wind and current as a factor.

Excellent teaching video!
Thank you so much for the instructional video on twin screw handling. The audio explanations together with the video illustrations were completely illuminating for me. I loved the idea of watching the shifters and the throttles while they were operated below and having the sea view at the same time. I have watched this video about 6 times now as I suddenly had to learn to Captain my 45 foot houseboat and I had no boating experience at all. It has been such a great help. Thanks again and happy boating!



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The Stieg Larsson Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / The Girl Who Played with Fire / The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) [Blu-ray]

Was hoping for the COMPLETE versions of each film...
If you are a real fan of these films then you are probably aware that they were made originally for Swedish television and the versions released to theaters have been shortened to make their running times more palatable for audiences who are forced to keep their butts in their seats viewing these films during their theatrical release. The films as shown on TV have a run-time closer to 3 hours, whereas the theatrical prints clock-in around the 2 1/2 hour mark. It would have been nice if they had saw fit to release the unexpurgated versions in this complete box set, rather than the slimmer versions.

This collection is still a good deal...if you want to get all the films of the trilogy in one fell swoop and, though i haven't compared them to the single film editons to see if anything is new, it does appear that the 4th bonus disc has some good extras. Myself, I'd rather wait until the longer versions get their inevitable release (this story has become too phenomenal for it...

These Are NOT The Complete, Original Versions!...
THE STEIG LARSON TRILOGY is NOT the complete, uncut version of the Swedish TV presentation. I E-mailed B. Brown at MUSIC BOX FILMS, and he said that the uncut versions will be released later this year. As for the movies themselves, they are three of the best suspense / mystery / thrillers I've ever seen. Noomi Rapace (as Lisbeth Salander) dominates every scene she's in, from the opening, disappearance mystery of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO through the human-trafficking tale of THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, and right through to the government conspiracy finale of THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST, Repace is incredible! Her psychological complexity and toughness are fascinating! I can only hope that the US remake stays true to these stories...

The girl in a bleak world
The late Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy was all about cruelty towards women -- and the movie adaptations don't hold back either. These are bleak, dark thrillers filled with razor-sharp social commentary, bloody action and conspiracies -- and brilliant performances by Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace.

In "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," take-no-prisoners journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) has just lost his reputation, his savings and his freedom (hello, jail sentence!) after a nasty libel suit from an executive named Wennerström.

Then he's unexpectedly contacted by aged industrialist Henrik Vanger, to discover what happened to the guy's grandniece. He's offering evidence on Wennerström, so Mikael has no choice but to accept -- and as he investigates the sinister Vanger family, he joins forces with Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace), an eccentric, abused computer hacker. And as Mikael unearths the clues to Harriet's disappearance, he also...

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Donizetti: Maria Stuarda [Blu-ray]

Elizabeth (Ganassi) wins again!
The previous reviwer has already noted that this is a "psycho" drama between two "ladies" and a dull-witted tenor in a Schiller play that has no connection to historical veracity. That said we can turn to the battle of the sopranos. Sonia Ganassi belted out an Elizabeth in a DVD made at Bergamo in 2001. Her rival that time was Carmela Remigio as Maria Stuarta. Remigio simply does not have the voice or the technique to carry off the blazing confrontation scene or the quiet, noble, final prayer. Ganassi in a quieter portrayal than the present one easily came off the winner. It should be noted that the tenor in that production was Joseph Calleja who looked the part and sang the part exceptionally well. In the present recording Ganassi is again in top form and is even more on spot while singing the blazes off everyone else on stage. The Maria is Fiorenza Cedolins. She comes with a reputation in standard Italian repertoire of which I've heard a few selections. Thus I was looking forward to...

The battle of the ladies
Donizetti's opera Maria Stuart is based on Schillers version, where Elizabeth and Mary are seen to be in love with the Earl of Leicester and have an angry encounter(never happened). Commissioned for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.It is suspected that following a dress rehearsal the singers playing Elizabeth and Mary came to blows so absorbed were they in their parts. The royal patrons stepped in to stop the opera being performed.A year later it resurfaced at La Scala, Milan.A revival of this opera 20 years after Donizetti's death formed the basis of the opera when rediscovered in 1958. A newer version is the one chosen for this production which opened in April 2009 at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. It had burned down in 1996 and was restored.

For Denis Krief stage director etc,the work is a psychodrama,a love triangle and he uses colour to signify ideas,the yellow of jealousy,deep blue of purity. The final scene is bathed in red. The staging is a maze which changes colour...

Krief brings Grief
Who is Krief? He is the guy who is overall in charge of what happens on stage with the thankful exception of the music. Thank heavens for such mercies.

If one wants to 'see' what Anachronism means, they only have to see the Stage Direction, Sets and Lighting Design of this otherwise great production of Maria Stuarda.

Whatever I want to comment on the singing, conducting and sound and video etc has already been elucidated beautifully by the two persons who wrote the comments ahead of me, Keris Nine and Dr.Rippon. They are on the dot.

I want to really comment on the Staging.
There is nothing imaginative here. The whole thing looks like a maze or labyrinth through which the actors scamper about like rats. It represents nothing... not even the so called 'trap' that both the ladies are supposed to be in. Ultimately it slides and exposes what looks like an exoskeleton of some monster or just plain scaffolding prior to concreting a slab of a construction...

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The French Art of Seduction

A Compilation That Brings Quiet Drama, But Lacks The Ooh La La Factor It Promises
Stop right there! "The French Art of Seduction" certainly sounds like a saucy and sexy package of adult entertainment choices, doesn't it? Keep reading. I love the idea of DVD compilations, but I almost never purchase them. Most contain mainstream film and (1) if there are films I like, they are generally coupled with awful choices or (2) they have films I've already bought, but in better format presentations. But I think the idea of bringing international fare together, such as in this collection, at a reasonable price is a great way for viewers to sample various movies. This quintessentially French collection is absolutely designed for people who are familiar with the more arty French film aesthetic. All four films are introspective, contemplative, and leisurely paced character studies. Each has merits to recommend it--but if you're looking for Ooh La La and seduction, these films fall fairly short of that promise. That said, you can make up your own mind whether this sets...





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Tower of Power - 40th Anniversary

Over 2 years in the making!
This DVD has been over 2 years in the making as the concert was held at San Francisco's Fillmore on October 18th, 2008. There have been countless delays and I'm sure the making of the DVD could, in itself, be a documentary. I was there that night in the front row and I can tell you this was an amazing live show. Everyone truly came to play that night, and play hard they did, The concert is packed with ToP alumni (Chester Thompson, Richard Elliott, Greg Adams, and Ellis Hall just to name a few, Lenny Williams was invited but did not go) and special guests, notably Soul Man Sam Moore (even the "ghost" of Bill Graham was there to introduce the band). There were tons of outstanding musicians playing lots of great solos.

THE PERFORMANCES ARE OUTSTANDING!!!! These songs have never sounded better. The sound quality is superb. Video quality is high. Camera work is about a B- but at least it doesn't suffer from 2-second edits common in concert videos.

BUT (big but).... I...

Buyer beware!!
I excitedly pre ordered both the cd and dvd of this concert not realising the cd actually contains a dvd as well. This dvd is exactly the same as the dvd that comes with the cd. Save your money folks and buy the cd which comes with the dvd. It's even cheaper this way! Saying that, brillian concert. Great sounds and so so so much better than previous Tower dvd's that have been released.

40th Anniversary (CD & DVD) The best value!!
Tower of Power - 40th AnniversaryNot good value!!

Where's Johnny?
Just received and zipped through all the chapters but what I thought I was purchasing based upon the link from Blu-ray.com and some of the reviews here, Johnny Meastro and The Brooklyn Bridge is not part of this recording. Appears to be a "filmed" Tower of Power stage performance instead. Once again on Blu-ray, no lossless audio option as the choices are standard 2 channel or Dolby 5.1. Quick note for those thinking about ordering this title so you wouldn't make the same mistake I think I did. Quick 2-star rating (less than an average production when compared to the many other Blu-ray concert/music titles I also own) is appropriate for the as presented video quality and lack of expected lossless audio options on this disk. Lastly, cardboard cover over clear plastic disk tray instead of the more typical blue closed eco case.

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Learn to Live the Talk! - Beyond Total Quality Management

Its a must for any supervisor or team leader in the workplace
As the producer of this video DVD, of course I am biased. But, the more I see it, the more I believe it is a useful tool for developing young supervisors, team leaders and senior magagers as well.

The RED BEAD video and the RED BEAD Experiment game, makes a great discussion tool to break the ice and take away the tensions of discussing "problems" that may occur in any organization.

The term RED BEAD symbolizes the many problems that we face each day as we go about our lives. Fix one problem and several more come along...

Dr. Deming teaches that "willing workers" (most of us) have little control over the problems in our systems.

If management is NOT happy with the results, they dare NOT blame the workers.

The workers know the secret names behind each RED BEAD problem.

Management should create an environment to encourage "willing workers" to name the problems.

Then management should provide trained, capable...





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How To Make Stained Glass Charms

wanting more
This was a very short and non detailed instruction. i have tried this technique and bought the video to try to
get some more instruction. 1. There was alot of talking without specifics. what is the difference between a good and not so good welding iron for this specific technique. 2. the camera focused on the person talking and not on the product. we did not get close ups of the technique or the products produced. this is a technique that has a lot of applications. we did not get to see any of that
what was most disappointing is that I know these two are experts in what they do but i was unable to get that from this video nor did i really partake of their knowledge. How is it to put yourself in a beginner's mind and then teach from that place as opposed to just showing what you know about something.

Charming Video About Charm School
These charms have become very popular over the last few years. We have a friend in the business who came to us to learn to make charms, she now sells thousands of them to stores every month. We choose to create the video because there is so much interest in making stained glass charms, we teach one or two classes on them every month.

Why? Because you get such a great looking piece that you can do so much with. Jeanne will receive an invitation to a wedding shower, take the pictures from the invitation and create a necklace for the bride that is unique and will be cherished since these are the photos she chose to send out.

We cover the basics in our beginning video Beginning Stained Glass but there are tips you need covered in this Charms video that aren't in the beginning video. Many folks in the stained glass business think that we are giving away industry secrets in our articles and videos...



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Eckhart Tolle-Creating A New Earth - Teachings To Awaken Consciousness: The Best Of Eckhart Tolle TV - Season One (7DVD)

Eckhart Tolle: Creating a new earth.
The seven DVD came in a beautiful box. The sound and picture quality are excellent. In the first 6 DVD, the author talked about spiritual awakening, the true Self, how to cure thinking problems with the practice of livinng in the present moment and Meditation. The last DVD was reserved for Q & A and relaxation practice with Kim Eng. Eckhart Tolle's teachings are very easy to understand but profound. They are in the same line with the teachings of The Buddha and Krishnamurti. Highly recommended.

Eckhardt Tolle
This was a requested gift by my son for Christmas . The library in his city cannot keep it on the shelf as it usually has a long hold list. And available only for a shorter period when it becomes available.

Disappointed
After a couple weeks of listening to materials put out by Tolle, I was feeling great. I had never read or heard any of this type of spiritual stuff, and was really getting into it. I was working to buy in to what this man was saying. I wanted to learn more, such as how to meditate, so I signed up for Tolle TV. Unfortunately, this is where the curtain of peace and tranquility dropped and exposed a nasty (and I would think illegal in some way) business practice that is not at all in line with Tolle's teachings. I signed up for the 6 month, $99 package.

After signing up I discovered they restrict your access to just a few videos per month, on topics you may or may not be interested in, and only one that I found even had Tolle in it. When you search for other content, or follow the links on the main page for additional content that they are driving customers to, they try to charge you more money.

I contacted customer service (if you can call it that - very...

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Cosi Fan Tutte

'Giuoco delle coppie'
I reviewed this DVD of Così fan tutte when it was first released on TDK five years ago. I append my review from that time. I see and hear no obvious differences between the two DVDs:

I borrowed the heading from one of the movements of Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra; it translates roughly as 'The Play of Pairs.' And that certainly is the thrust of this wonderful production of 'Così fan tutte' from the 1983 Salzburg Festival, directed by Michael Hampe with sets and costumes by Mauro Pagano. The mise en scène makes much subtle play of the mirroring of the various pairs in the opera -- Fiordiligi and Dorabella, Ferrando and Guglielmo, Despina and Don Alfonso. Costumes, settings, stage action all tend to come in pairs, with just enough differentiation to make it more subtle than blatant. It certainly adds to the delicious comedy of the opera.

Some months ago I raved about a La Scala DVD of 'Così' conducted by Riccardo Muti but this...





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Stained Glass Kaleidoscope

Stained Glass Kaleidoscope Project Video
This is a good project, which needs some explaination. The video will guide you through the steps to building a basic kaleidoscope. The video shows a kaleidoscope that sold for $120,000. It may take a little practice to build that complex of a scope, but it's something to shoot for.

If you need more instuction, you can always start with the beginning video Beginning Stained Glass so you can learn the basics of stained glass window construction. One thing about picture frames, it seems that you can always use one more, which is why this is a good project and it makes a good gift.

Then making a picture frame is not much more difficult than building any other stained glass project and this DVD Stained Glass Picture Frame Project gives you all the instruction you need to build your own sucessful stained glass picture...

Stained Glass Kaleidoscope. (DVD)
Interesting and educational video to spend enterteining moments realizing the works that they propose. Very advisable.



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IMAX 3D Bundles (Grand Canyon Adventure / Dinosaurs Alive! / Wild Ocean) [Blu-ray]

Add it up
This bundle is NOT a good deal at $67 as if you buy them sepate the total is $59.Way to go Amazon!

Great documentaries with excellent 3D effects
Grand Canyon Adventure is both entertaining and awareness raising with great 3D effects. Dinosaurs Alive is a great documentary and the extras on how the movie was made is well worth your time. Wild Ocean has fantastic underwater shots that are especially compelling in 3D.



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Phantom Love

awesomely fabulous
BY CHRIS FUJIWARA
A woman croupier drifts like a ghost through languidly lit hotel spaces, or submits to jackhammer missionary intercourse while an I'm-not-here expression hardens her turned-away face. A punk Raskolnikov, a Jew in a poor Arab section of Tel Aviv, walks up and down narrow staircases, dodges harassers on the street, and holes up in nearly empty bars where electronic dance music supplies a background to his encounters with prostitutes and a sympathetic detective. These are the people and the spaces of Phantom Love (2007; February 25 @ 7 pm) and Dissolution (2010; February 26 @ 7 pm), two extraordinary feature films by US-Israeli filmmaker Nina Menkes that ArtsEmerson is bringing to the Paramount Center this weekend, with the filmmaker in attendance. The very emptiness of these spaces becomes a source of conflict and even heat, eliciting a response from Menkes's figures or responding in turn to some lack within them.
Phantom Love is a pure psychodrama, in which...

Was this actually supposed to be a movie?
Come on please!!! Just because it's pornographic,almost dialogue free and shot in black and white does not mean that it's art. Pure unadulterated GARBAGE. Had the editor done his job, this film would have ended up being less than 5 minutes long.



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Master Mandolinist

Great access to a master of the mandolin
I had a chance to meet and learn from Alan Bibey at a Kaufman Camp a few years back and have been a fan ever since. This is an excellent tutorial and worth every penny. If you are serious about building your technique and truly conquering the bluegrass mandolin style, get it.





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Stained Glass Jewelry Box Project

Stained Glass Jewelry Boxes Make Good Gifts
I believe that "The Stained Glass Jewelry Box" video is excellent, but since I worked on the video, I'm somewhat biased. We started making videos because the ones out there were so poor. This video starts off with us, David and Jeanne Gomm talking about jewelry boxes made of stained glass and we have a pretty nice stack of examples for you to see.

Jeanne, the designer, talks about different design ideas you can go with and then David shows how to cut the glass. I use a strip cutter, which makes the process go faster. Then Jeanne is back to show the copper foil step. We switch back and forth with the steps to making stained glass boxes.

The thing about this video is that it's cheaper than our basic stained glass video and yet covers all the basics in detail. When you get done building a stained glass box or two, you'll probably go back to regular stained glass work with a whole new set of skills.

This project is a way to use up old scraps of glass that...





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Real Life Teens: Teen Depression

MORE
How can I access more of your products. I work with youths and need books, videos, tapes, magazines and much more.





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American Literary Classics - The Transcendentalists: Teaching Ralph Waldo Emerson - Philosopher, Writer & Intellectual

Teacher
This is well done for the educated. I would not try it for students however. I learned a lot from it from educated college professors. I originally order for my intelligent high school students but later, as I watched it, realized that the audience was not for them.





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Spirit Lands: An American Desert Odyssey

Not worth the money
I purchased another Fortney DVD, Canyonlands which cost a lot less with many of the same images. The DVD is nice, but not really different from previous purchases from the same artist.





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How To Make the NEMO 200

Save money by buying this
Thanks to friends who forced me to learn, I now love scuba diving. The thing I like about it most is being able to take photos underwater. I'm always amazed at what the deep has been hiding. Anyways, every time I go scuba diving, I use the NEMO 200 to keep my camera nice and dry. I learned how to build one using the instructions on this dvd. This is a solid investment if you don't want to spend a lot of money on pro camera housing.





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Dance With Destiny

2012, Future, Prophecy, Apocolypse, Here is a Film
"Here is a film that awakens in us an awareness as unsettling as it is exhilarating, a vision in which we are not victims of fate but "response-able" participants in the illusion shattering dance with destiny. The prophetic heart explores the true frontiers of consciousness, where past, present and future meld seamlessly into activist art, an inclusive pulsing web of which we are both but a single inextricable strand and one of the crucial conscious weavers. We learn that our work is not only to create a sustainable future, but to develop the presence and judgment necessary to discern what values and ways of being are truly worth sustaining. Even as we face political repression and wars, environmental destruction and a culture of distraction and denial, we are each being given an assignment and opportunity to create holistic alternatives. We see that our personal struggles are part of a shamanic process of falling apart and being remade, much as the tumultuous Earth Changes tell the...





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Taggart Complete Original Series Starring Mark McManus

AULD ACQUAINTANCE
In case this notice finds any readers in America, I am reviewing only the two DVD's constituting `volume one' of the Taggart series issued by Clear Vision in the UK. They contain one feature-length film apiece, Killer and Dead Ringer respectively. They are absolutely superb, and a sad memorial to Mark McManus, who left us all too early before his 60th birthday. The series named after the lead part that he took in it continued (and may not even have stopped yet) under the same name, and that has to be quite a tribute. Younger fans of the later episodes may have wondered occasionally at the title Taggart, nobody's on-screen name any more, but although there are still first-class stories occasionally I think they will appreciate the difference if they see these two films and why the series still goes under the name that it does.

Jim Taggart is a tough 70's Glasgow cop carrying more chips than he has shoulders to carry them on. Like any good TV series, the plots and situations...

Mark McManus
Absolutely fantastic series, with Mark MCManus being why. It is so sad that he died bac in l994. The series continued but it wasn't quite the same without him

Simply the best
The legendary Taggart series lives up to its reputation. Excellent in all respects: acting, direction, location, plot.
Truly fine entertainment that blends modern police procedural with classic mystery - you'll keep guessing who the killer is right up to the end - and just a dash of horror - mild by 2013 standards, but startling when it first appeared in the 1980's.
Just as New York City was the fifth main character of "Sex and the City," so Glasgow and its magnificent architecture are key to the success of Taggart.
Americans should be warned however that part of Taggart's "keeping it real" is real Scottish accents, which is undoubtedly why unlike "Morse" and "A Touch of Frost" "Taggart" wasn't shown in the US during its original run.. After an episode or two, the ear is adjusted to recognize "dune" as not a sand formation, but the opposite of "up."
The mood is set by Maggie Bell's magnificent blues...

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The Twilight Zone: Season 3 [Blu-ray]

Episode guide
#1 Two

Charles Bronson and Elizabeth Montgomery play the sole survivors of a nuclear holocaust.

#2 The Arrival

An airline official tests his theory that a newly arrived but totally empty plane is imaginary-with startling results.

#3 The Shelter

A neighborhood panics when they believe they are under a nuclear attack and attempt to invade the only bomb shelter on the block.

#4 The Passersby

A wounded Civil War soldier starts to believe that he and the people around him have already died.

#5 A Game of Pool

A pool master returns from the dead to play one last game with an eager young hustler.

#6 The Mirror

A dictator discovers a mirror that shows the faces of his assassins.

#7 The Grave

A hired gunman defies a Western outlaw's warning that if he ever came near his grave he'd reach up and snatch away his life. Stars Lee Marvin, Strother Martin, Lee...

5 for the boxset, 4 for the eps.
Season 3 and the episodes from this classic series have once again been given the whole super-duper treatment. Good work guys!!

By now the Zone's quality had slipped a little. Still,eps like "Nothing in the Dark", "The Dummy", "To Serve Man" and "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" remain unforgettable and still influence tv/ movies today.

Features in this package include:

-commentaries from William Windom, Leonard Nimoy, Cliff Robertson, Lois Nettleton, and Billy Mumy.

- teasers for next week's shows

- isolated soundtracks

- audio recollections from a bunch of contributors

- Serling's Night Gallery previews for next week's eps

It's all good and dare I say it...gets better with Season 4 and the hour long episodes.

Another Exciting TZ Season!
I'm totally enjoying the remastered "Definitive Season" releases with all the included bonus features. #3 here looks like another winner with a crisp digital transfer! Kudos to Image Entertaiment and CBS DVD for an excellent job!

Meanwhile, I've got a stack of 3-4 episode DVD's and 2 episode VHS copies looking mighty lonely. For everyone in this situation, I think a good home might be a local library or even better a senior living centre. That would be a good demographic to donate to.

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British Transport Films Collection

Watch the Format
Although I find these films very interesting (many are on YouTube), I had to return the boxed set.
These DVDs are in the PAL format for Zone 2, Europe, Middle East and Japan. The United States and Canada use NTSC, zone 1, and our standard DVD players cannot play zone 2 DVDs. You will need a DVD player that can play the PAL zone 2 format to view these DVDs.





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BASIC HULA - Intensive Hawaiian Instruction for Steps, Hands and Posture

RealHula is the REAL THING!
For anyone who wants to learn authentic hula, has danced and yearns to do it again or lives too far away from a halau (traditional hula studio) the RealHula Series will more than complete you. The instruction is impeccable with added cultural explanations to enhance your personal expression of Aloha.
My heart was so opened by this video experience, and being blessed to live on Oah`u, I tracked down the real RealHula dance studio and joined!!! So you're hearing it from someone who knows...you will cherish this gift of teaching Kumu Kea has given us. In true Hawaiian tradition, it's a legacy you can be proud to share with your entire family.
Once you learn the "Basics", you might want to try the individual dance collection. I suggest "Green Rose Hula" for a first dance.
May Your Blessings Be!

For Teacher and Student
As a teacher of dance, this video will help you help your students improve technique. As a student, it will open your eyes to the true meaning of Hula in a sincere and technically correct way.

We here on the mainland may not have a true view of what this dance from the islands is all about and where its roots are. This basic video will dispell a lot of notions about Hula and shows the real challenging and rewarding aspects of the dance, technical and graceful. It is a winner...I wish I had owned it 20 years ago...

Maika'i!
I've had this video series from RealHula for years...love it...have them all! If you are looking for authentic hula, danced in 'ai ha'a style, this is it...and it doesn't get any better than this! The most excellent hula teaching video I have ever seen...and I have seen most all that are out there. Get it...you won't regret it!

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The Best of Soul Train

So excited!! So disappointed!!
First of all, The Best of Soul Train - 9 DVD Collector's Set are not FULL EPISODES!!! When my sister and I watched the first DVD we were shocked!! The so called episodes was only 15 maybe 20 minutes. Not the full episode (45 min) we were expecting. Also, they showed so many commercials (the same ones) over and over, we got sick of them. When you first see the Afro Sheen commercial you go on a trip down memory lane. You're all smiles. But once you've seen the commercials (maybe 10 different ones all together) You see them after every act and soon tire of them. People who purchase this should know that the best of soul train (in this time life set) means, the best of soul train performances. Hey, that's not a problem, but the most disappointing thing of all was they did not show all of the soul train lines. We expected to see a soul train line per show. This was not the case. Every four shows you may see one soul train line. THAT IS NOT ENOUGH. I love Don and all of the...

Hipper than hip
Soooooouuuuuullllll Train! I'm as white as they come, but I loved this show in its heyday. I was 12 when it premiered in 1970. It was a window into a culture as smooth and brash in its musicality and vernacular as it was in its dyn-o-mite dancing and day-glo fashion. Don Cornelius was the serene ruler of this kingdom, speaking in a voice both sonorous and mellifluous, wearing royal silk shirts and maroon velveteen suits, not a hair out of place in his afro crown. I tuned in both to groove to the great songs and to make myself just a bit hipper, and my own record collection, bellbottoms, wide lapels, and platform shoes were evidence of my devotion to the music and the people who produced it.

There is no way this 3-DVD set, with its wide array of stars and 50 great songs spread over five hours, could deserve less than the highest rating, even if the mastering were second rate. But the audio and video reproduction are excellent; Time-Life knows its stuff. And there are more...

Could be better but not bad
This is a good collection but i would have liked it better if it had less popular artists and more people like Johnny Nash who sings "I can see clearly now" for example. And it's true that there are too many Affro Sheen commercials but at least you can skip them with your DVD remote. I found that i liked the 6th DVD better than the rest. This collection didn't blow my mind but it's quite enjoyable nonetheless.

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Discovering Beethoven: Symphonies Nos 1 2 & 3 [Blu-ray]

Very fine traditional interpretations
Christian Thielemann's readings of the first three Beethoven symphonies in splendid video and uncompressed audio are first-rate interpretations, though rather slow and painstakingly detail-focused. The Wiener Philharmoniker - at first in somewhat smaller complement, then, alas, in increasing strength - play exceedingly well, as can be expected. These are "traditional" interpretations, definitely not of the "historical" or "period" schools. Thielemann, however, is well aware of their accomplishments and he lets the woodwinds, brass and timpani (he often has hard sticks) shine through the rather dense strings fabric wherever he sees fit. I must admit that, after decades of listening (often uneasily) to "big band", bombastic, homogenized Beethoven, my ears opened wide with more recent developments. My reference recordings are: Norrington's 2002 Stuttgart Cycle (CD), Gielen (DVD) and, just recently discovered, Paavo Järvi's Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen cycle on DVD, which I...

He swings, he misses.
These are willful interpretations that - IMHO - say a lot about Christian Thielemann and, occasionally, something important about Ludwig van Beethoven as well.

The performances of these early symphonies themselves are episodic, to put it kindly. It's one thing to fail to successfully link the sections of a given symphonic movement together into a whole, thereby unwittingly allowing us hear the seams in a work. It's quite another thing to create seams where none previously existed. This is a real debit in Thielemann's overall approach to the earlier works, IMO, especially as his performances of the later symphonies reflect a more traditional and moderate (read: successful) approach to Beethoven.

In the plus column, Thielemann observes every repeat in every symphony, and the Vienna Philharmonic sounds wonderful throughout.

On to the works themselves:

Thielemann has no love and carries no brief for Symphonies 1 & 2. I get the feeling that CT...

A large scale 'traditional approach' done well but purists will find this a doubtful approach
This is, on the face of it, a very generous and tempting coupling of Beethoven's first three symphonies plus two overtures all on one disc. The recording company, C Major, is in my opinion one of the very best working today. As a result we get unfailingly excellent surround sound and high quality visuals with sympathetic and knowledgeable camera work. So what of the actual performances?

Thielemann is very much his own man in this important respect. What we have here is 'big band' Beethoven with a large modern orchestra. There is no effort made to reproduce in any way the sound world that Beethoven inhabited. The textures presented here are fuller and more luscious in contrast to the sparer and rawer sounds that 'authentic' instruments deliver. Thielemann favours a well upholstered sound world and for this he is much appreciated by his Viennese audiences. It will also appeal to all listeners at home who find the 'authentic' approach rather too lean for their taste...

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Muay Thai Clinch for MMA

[...]
ANDERSON SILVA
MUAY THAI CLINCH for MMA
a Brian Rule Production
presented by Victory Belt

Guerrilla Midwife

Listen to the silence between the words.
Robin Lim speaks loudest when she says nothing at all. Listen carefully to the section regarding GMO rice and the relation to maternal death from hemorrhage. What is not being said? Listen to the silence in the birthing rooms. Listen to her hands. Listen.

one of the most true and pure words you will ever hear. a real eye opener
i gave this documentary 5 stars because of the content. is one of the most fascinating subjects i have ever learned about. as a seeker of the true love and beauty, i felt many of the speakers were like Jesus speaking to my heart. i highly recommend many Christians should learn about the birth process whether expecting a baby or not and ask Jesus to allow us to see with His eyes and renew in us a reverence and trusting return to God's original ways. He does all things well, everything God made is good, created with His love for us in mind. we were made to love and to be loved. please take the time to learn from the beautiful, knowledgeable people in Guerrilla Midwife!!! you will feel His presence.

Sobering but necessary for our survival
Very well made and important film on the importance of birth in a natural environment. The midwife asks: "would you trade your authentic self for technology?" Apparently, many, at least here in the US, have and will continue to and are even unaware that they have.

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Taggart - Cold Blood Set

Very Scottish
This is the story of a 60 year old crusty police detective in Scotland. The characters are very distinctive. Unfortunately, after 35 episodes the actor playing Taggart died and some episodes later the medical examiner was played by a less distinctive actor and the series was less entertaining with the remaining characters who were about 30 years old and not as eccentric.

The plots are extremely complex and convoluted. You have to have good people skills at remembering names and faces to figure things out. There is no summary at the end like Poirot gives. Engineering nerds like myself have to view several times to get the details.

Taggart volume 3 - still no subtitles
This is volume 3 of the original series.
The proper sequence to view these sets is:
1) KILLER set
2) DEATH CALL set
3) COLD BLOOD set
4) ROOT OF EVIL set
5) EVIL EYE set
6) VIOLENT DELIGHTS set
7) THE HIT MAN set
8) RING OF DECEIT set
9) DEATH WITHOUT DISHONOUR set
10) HELLFIRE set
11) PRAYER FOR THE DEAD set (the last Jim Taggart episode)



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Siddharta [Blu-ray]

Interesting, but hard to follow...
I am familiar with the story of Siddharta, so I thought that even if this ballet only touched on his life while being more avant garde in the interpretation of the story, I would still love this. However, throughout the ballet I kept thinking that if I saw this on stage without the title of each scene so I know what is going on I would have no clue what this story is all about.

I think abstract ballet is fine in abstract ballet, but this attempts to be a story ballet, but it is impossible to understand what is happening without the list of titles of each scene.

With this said I did enjoy much of the dancing, and I think the dancers gave their all in this production. I just think a person should be able to come off the street with no prior info and watch a story ballet and know what is going on. All the famous story ballets (La Bayadere, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, etc) are easy to follow even with very little miming and mostly just dancing.

Preljocaj's...

Interesting, but troubled.
The Paris Opera Ballet is nothing if not experimental. Siddhartha is a great example of their propensity for evolution in ballet and risk taking on stage. Having said that, one needs to be aware of the fact that experimental ballets are seldom perfect, and Siddhartha is an example of this. Dupont and Le Riche are absolutely gorgeous and fit their roles perfectly. Dupont stole the show with her ethereal, water-like movement qualities, and Le Riche is never less than magnificent (no wonder Nureyev liked him). However, the staging has some issues. The opening act stutters a few times, and even with the libretto in hand, often leaves you wondering just what is going on. When it does pick itself up and display a stronger narrative, Siddhartha becomes a very fascinating, emotional ballet. The dancers portray the scene wonderfully, and it is in ballets like this that you can really appreciate seeing a company who has all come from the same training background. Overall, this is a good...

Mon dieu! Quel Ballet! Magnifique! Plus que cinq Etoile!
Je commence avec mille fois merci a Mlle. Brigitte Lefevre (I'm sorry my computer does not allow me to insert French punctuation). Elle avait la courage de faire cet Ballet comme un travail fait sur commande. Her courage was justified! I'm writing this Review immediately after my first viewing of this marvelous Ballet. As I've noted in other of my reviews, I'm no fan of ballet, or of dance, performed on naked, or near naked stages, with subdued lighting, and where most, if not all of the dancing is barefooted. Well, all of these personal "negatives" are in Siddharta. But so what! Nicolas Le Riche as the coming Buddah, and Aurelia Dupont as The Awakening, sensitively perform their difficult roles: Armed only with their dancing skills, and the art of mime, each makes apparent to the attentive viewer the spiritual truths being expounded. No easy task. But they are assisted by a large supporting cast of gifted performers. The Ballet is told in a series of 16 Tableaux. One should...

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Black Rodeo

Exceptional documentary
First read about this film back around 1982 and so it's been a long trail...

Magnificent footage of Rodeo at Triborough Stadium (Harlem, New York), 1971. Historians were aware at the time of the African-American involvement and contribution to the development of "the West", doing all the things that the average citizen associated only with Caucasians.

Excellent stills of 19th Century Blacks of the Old West supported by a great, running narration (apprently filmed, for the most part, on the set of a Western, in California) by actor Woody Strode, who stopped by to watch the action. Of course Strode played Sergeant Rutledge in a John Ford Classic. He tells the story of the "Buffalo Soldier"; and his own experience in 1959 as a Black man penetrating Hollywood and all the stereotypes.

Muhammad Ali is listed above Strode but his footage amounts to about ten minutes and seems to be just another personal appearance. Not much for his fans.

There is...





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Theatreland

Awesome documentary
Needless to say, having Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart in this thing guarantees success, but it's even better than one might imagine. The living theater has so many moving parts, and it's fun to get a peek around.





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Real Life Teens: Teen Anger

It's OK
This DVD is OK. It is 17 minutes long so if you are looking for more info it's not here.





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How to Play Pandeiro

How to play the Pandeiro
There are not too many DVD's to choose from on how to play the pandeiro, but this DVD might be all anyone needs. Carlinhos is an excellent ambassabor of Brazilian percussion. He not only helps you learn to play the pandeiro, but
teaches you about Brazilan music history and pays homage to many of the great players of samba, chorro, etc. He shows you many different styles of samba and chorro, from the simple to the complex.

Does not show how to play pandeiro at all
They guy is just having fun with friends, and there is no serious instruction,nothing .. I am happy that I rented it and not bought it.
Eu toco pandeiro, e eu esperava muito mais do Carlinhos .. this is a shame.

excellent instrument
I had a very hard time finding this pandeiro and was lucky to locate it on amazon.after trying it out i was very pleased with the sound that it produced.

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Real Life Teens: Staying Focused

21 minutes OF GREAT SIMPLE THINGS I wish i had heard
of elementary school.





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