Beauty and the Beast (Disney Special Platinum Edition)
by Gary Trousdale
from Walt Disney Video
The film that officially signaled Disney's animation renaissance (following The Little Mermaid) and the only animated feature to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, Beauty and the Beast remains the yardstick by which all other animated films should be measured. It relates the story of Belle, a bookworm with a dotty inventor for a father; when he inadvertently offends the Beast (a prince whose heart is too hard to love anyone besides himself), Belle boldly takes her father's place, imprisoned in the Beast's gloomy mansion. Naturally, Belle teaches the Beast to love. What makes this such a dazzler, besides the amazingly accomplished animation and the winning coterie of supporting characters (the Beast's mansion is overrun by quipping, dancing household items) is the array of beautiful and hilarious songs by composer Alan Menken and the late, lamented lyricist Howard Ashman. (The title song won the 1991 Best Song Oscar, and Menken's score scored a trophy as well.) The downright funniest song is "Gaston," a lout's paean to himself (including the immortal line, "I use antlers in all of my de-co-ra-ting"). "Be Our Guest" is transformed into an inspired Busby Berkeley homage. Since Ashman's passing, animated musicals haven't quite reached the same exhilarating level of wit, sophistication, and pure joy. --David Kronke --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Dirty Dancing (20th Anniversary Edition)
from Lions Gate
The summer of 1963 innocent 17-year-old Baby (Grey) vacations with her parents at a Catskill's resort. One evening she is drawn to the staff quarters by stirring music. There she meets Johnny the hotel dance instructor who is as experienced as Baby is naive. Baby soon becomes Johnny's pupil in dance and love.Special Features: DISC ONE: Commentary with Writer/ Co-Producer Eleanor Bergstein Trivia Track Newly Remastered Audio DISC TWO: DIRTY DANCING with Patrick Swayze Tribute to Jerry Orbach Deleted Scenes Alternate Scenes Extended Scenes Outtakes Original Screen Tests Multi Angle Dance Sequences The Classic Story on Stage Interactive Photo Gallery Jennifer Grey Interview Eleanor Bergstein Interview Kenny Ortega Interview Emile Ardolino Tribute "Hungry Eyes" Music Video "She's Like The Wind" Music Video "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life" Music Video TrailersSystem Requirements:Running Time: 105 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: PG - 13 UPC: 012236212775 Manufacturer No: 21277
Dirty Dancing (Ultimate Edition)
from Lions Gate
An innocent young girl is introduced to the sensuality of dance when she meets the dance instructor at her resort hotel.
Genre: Musicals
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 9-DEC-2003
Media Type: DVD
As with Grease (1978) and Footloose (1984) before it, Dirty Dancing was a cultural phenomenon that now plays more like camp. That very campiness, though, is part of its biggest charm. And if the dancing in the movie doesn't seem particularly "dirty" by today's standards--or 1987's--it does take place in an era (the early '60s) when it would have. Frances "Baby" Houseman (Jennifer Grey, daughter of ageless hoofer Joel Grey) has been vacationing in the Catskills with her family for many years. Uneventfully. One summer, she falls under the sway (as it were) of dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze). Baby is a pampered pup, but Johnny is a man of the world. Baby's father, Jake (Law and Order's Jerry Orbach), can't see the basic decency in greaser Johnny that she can. It should come as no surprise to find that Baby, who can be as immature as her name, learns more about love and life--and dancing--from free-spirited Johnny than traditionalist Jake.
Dirty Dancing spawned two successful soundtracks, a short-lived TV series, and a stage musical. It may be predictable, but Grey and Swayze have chemistry, charisma, and all the right moves. It's a sometimes silly movie with occasionally mind-boggling dialogue--"No one puts Baby in a corner!"--that nonetheless carries an underlying message about tolerance and is filled with the kind of exuberant spirit that's hard for even the most cynical to resist. Not that they'd ever admit it. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Law & Order - The Fifth Year (1994-1995 Season)
from National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
Honored with 11 consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Drama Series Law & Order captivates viewers with its storylines ripped straight from today's headlines. Season 5 of Law & Order features all 23 compelling episodes of the final season to feature Chris Noth as Det. Mike Logan.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 025193196422 Manufacturer No: 61031964
Law & Order - The First Year
from National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
From its gritty documentary look to its signature note-knocking "tching-tching" that signals scene changes, Law & Order was a groundbreaking cop show when it debuted in 1990. It has since earned Emmys for Best Dramatic Series and spun off satellite franchises, and reruns of the original series are as omnipresent in syndication as those of I Love Lucy. Devoted fans and those who came late to the series can catch it from the beginning with this six-disc set that contains all 22 episodes from the inaugural season.
Law & Order is television's most resilient series. It has survived wholesale changes to its ensemble. One of the secrets of the show's durability: its compelling structure. The first half of each hour-long episode is classic police procedural in which "Law," personified in the first season by partners Greevey (George Dzundza--and be sure to catch the interview segment with series creator Dick Wolfe to learn how to pronounce his name) and Mike Logan (Christopher Noth, the future "Mr. Big" on Sex and the City) investigate a crime and make an arrest. The second half chronicles the ensuing trial, as prosecuted by assistant district attorneys Ben Stone (Michael Moriarty) and Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks) under the supervision of Steven Hill's Adam Schiff (more feisty and animated here than in later seasons).
Law & Order is also distinguished by its superb writing. Several episodes take their inspiration from the headlines, including "By Hooker, By Crook" about a socialite-run call-girl ring, and "Indifference," which recalls the tragic Lisa Steinberg child abuse case. Others deal with such hot-button issues as abortion ("Life Choice") and AIDS ("The Reaper's Helper"). Another plus is the talent pool of character actors who lend their verisimilitude. Guest stars include Samuel L. Jackson and Philip Seymour Hoffman ("The Violence of Summer"), The West Wing's John Spencer ("Prescription for Death"), Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon ("Subterranean Homeboy Blues"), and The Sopranos' Dominic Chianese ("Sonata for Stolen Organ"). --Donald Liebenson
Law & Order is one of the most successful and critically acclaimed series in the history of television. For over a decade this Emmy Award-winning series has presented the investigation and prosecution of cases ripped straight from today's headlines. With a celebrated cast that includes Michael Moriarty (Along Came a Spider), George Dzundza (Basic Instinct), Chris Noth (Sex and the City), Richard Brooks (The Crow: City of Angels), Dann Florek (Law & Order: SVU), and Steven Hill (The Firm), and featuring such notable guest stars as John Spencer (The West Wing), Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City), William H. Macy (Fargo), Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Red Dragon), and Christine Baranski (Dr Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Law & Order: The First Year is a must-have DVD collection.
Law & Order - The Second Year
from National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
Law & Order, the groundbreaking, Emmy Award winning drama series explodes onto DVD - with all 22 gripping, ripped-from-the-headlines episodes of its second year contained in this must-have DVD collection. Paul Sorvino, Michael Moriarty, Chris Noth, Richard Brooks, Dann Florek and Steven Hill are the relentless investigators and prosecutors who tackle the intriguing criminal cases that come before them; guest stars appearing in this compelling second season include Jerry Orbach (before he became a series regular!), Maura Tierney (TV's "ER"), Allison Janney (TV's "The West Wing"), William H. Macy ("Seabiscuit," TV's "ER"), Kelli Williams (TV's "The Practice"), and Nancy Marchand (TV's "The Sopranos"). Law & Order: The Second Year will keep you enthralled with its celebrated ensemble cast and "absorbing, sharply-written episodes" (TV Guide).
The Return of Jafar/Aladdin and the King of Thieves (Aladdin 2 & 3 Collection)
by Toby Shelton
from Walt Disney Home Entertainment
The continuing adventures of Aladdin, Jasmine and their friends.
Genre: Feature Film Family
Rating: NR
Release Date: 18-JAN-2005
Media Type: DVD
The Return of Jafar, the 1994, direct-to-video follow-up to Aladdin (it's actually four episodes of the Aladdin television program, back-to-back) is a wash-out compared to the Robin Williams-driven animation feature that kicked off the franchise. The story partially involves the villainous Jafar's parrot--Iago--trying to leave his master and befriend Aladdin and Jasmine. Williams is nowhere to be found, unfortunately; the genie's voice is provided by Dan Castellaneta, and the difference shows. --Tom Keogh
Robin Williams returns as the voice of the hyperactive genie in Aladdin and the King of Thieves, the second direct-to-video sequel to Disney's hit animated feature. Aladdin, the street beggar turned Prince, risks all to find his father among the cutthroat 40 thieves and joins his quest to find a Midas-like stone that turns everything it touches into gold. A significant cut above most made-for-video animation, this energetic adventure largely leaves Princess Jasmine and the genie behind for a father-and-son quest. Guest voice Jerry Orbach suggests Sean Connery with his thick-as-molasses delivery as the master thief Sa'luk and, despite his limited screen time, Williams once again delights with his wild flights of fantasy as the big blue Genie. A rousing tale full of last-minute escapes and spectacular, kid-sized thrills that even parents will find entertaining. --Sean Axmaker
Law & Order - The Fourth Year (1993-1994 Season)
from National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
Honored with over 50 Emmy nominations since its groundbreaking first season, Law & Order continues to excel at bringing powerful stories to a devoted television audience. Now, all 22 captivating episodes of Season 4 are on DVD for the first time ever. Relive each gripping moment as New York's toughest detectives and prosecutors take on the hard-hitting cases that make the news - from blackmail to mail bombs to murder. It was during the fourth season that Emmy nominee S. Epatha Merkerson and Jill Hennessy joined New York's toughest team of prosecutors and investigators: Jerry Orbach, Chris Noth, Michael Moriarty and Steven Hill. Loaded with 43 never-before-viewed deleted and extended scenes, this dynamic three-disc set is a must-have for fans everywhere.
Beauty And The Beast - Belle's Magical World (Special Edition)
by Barbara Dourmashkin
from Walt Disney Video
This straight-to-video animated story is set in the Beast's castle which, as viewers know from the original Beauty and the Beast film, is under a spell until the Beast can learn to love. Starting with this familiar premise, Belle's Magical World plummets into three disjointed episodes surrounding Belle's life as a captive in the castle. In "The Perfect World," a misunderstanding of words erupts between Belle and Beast, made worse by a feigned apology. Fifi and Lumiere take the spotlight in "Fifi's Folly," when a romantic evening together becomes a chilling adventure inside a runaway sleigh. In "The Broken Wing," Belle entreats the Beast to act kindly toward a tiny songbird. Each tale offers a diluted moral message, yet the entire effort feels contrived and confusing, a ploy by the folks at Disney to add cash to their coffers by exploiting the popularity of the original motion picture classic. (Ages 5 and older) --Lynn Gibson
Enter the enchanting world of Belle, one of Disney's most beautiful Princesses, as her adventures continue in the Beast's unpredictable castle. This Special Edition full-length movie, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: BELLE'S MAGICAL WORLD, brims with delightful stories and songs, and all your favorite characters and voice cast from the acclaimed and beloved movie masterpiece. Share in the fun as Belle, Beast, Cogsworth, Lumiere, and charming new friends work side-by-side to bring new happiness to the castle and all its inhabitants. You'll discover how true friendship and cooperation can turn a gloomy castle into an enchanted palace fit for a Princess!
Out for Justice
by John Flynn
from Warner Home Video
No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Release Date: 8-FEB-2005
Media Type: DVD
Steven Seagal has always been an awkward action hero. Initially, he had a certain amount of credibility thanks to his nebulous association with secret government agencies and mastery of aikido, which helped to excuse his bad acting. But as a self-righteous action hero in the vein of Schwarzenegger and Stallone (which helps to explain his bad acting), Seagal fell into unintentional self-parody faster and more dramatically than either of his two predecessors. In Out for Justice, Seagal plays Gino Felino, a Brooklyn-born cop known and respected by everyone--both good and bad--in his neighborhood. The worst of the neighborhood baddies is Richie Madano (William Forsythe), a crack-smoking killer who murders his partner and terrorizes the neighborhood. Technically, Felino is a terrible cop--touching evidence at murder scenes, stealing evidence, intimidating witnesses--but only by breaking those rules can he bring in this horrible criminal. As his soon-to-be-ex-wife discovers, he does everything because he cares too much. Julianna Margulies (ER) has a small but thankless role as Richie's hooker girlfriend, and Gina Gershon (Face/Off, Bound) has an equally thankless role as Richie's foul-mouthed, bar-owning sister. The movie plays like a vanity piece for Seagal, and in that vein, it is fascinating to watch. --Andy Spletzer
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