DVD Collectors Online

Topaz, a review by Achim

Title: Topaz
Year: 1969
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Rating: NR
Length: 142 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Frederick Stafford
Dany Robin
John Vernon
Karin Dor
Michel Piccoli
Philippe Noiret
Roscoe Lee Browne

Plot:
The best-selling spy novel bursts onto the screen in this riveting story of adventure and international intrigue. John Forsythe stars as an American CIA agent who hires a French operative (Frederick Stafford) to travel to Cuba and investigate rumors of Russian missiles and Topaz, a NATO spy. The inquiry soon spins into a life-threatening escapade of espionage, betrayal and murder.

Extras:
Scene Access
Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Production Notes
Storyboard Comparisons

That must have been a hard sell at the time... The film has a great plot about spies, takes place during an actual historic event (therefore giving it immediacy to the audience) and places it's set pieces (not high caliber action but good suspense) well spaced throughout the run of the film. The problem is however, that it lacks a central character to identify with and those who are with through the main part of the story have strong character treads that have potential to make them unlikable to some (especially since not portrayed by famous actors). So, actually quite a ballsy movie to make.

The acting is good and Hitch went and hired French actors for most of the French roles. I had hard time recognizing Philippe Noiret or Michel Piccoli as they are so very young here. John Forsythe reminded me, in a rather irritating way, of my late grandmother I have always enjoyed Roscoe Lee Browne, although he overacts a little bit in this one.


(a weak one though)



(From Alfred Hitchcock Marathon on March 19th, 2010)

Black Hawk Down, a review by Rich

Evacced from Somalia...



From acclaimed director Ridley Scott and renowned producer Jerry Bruckheimer and based on actual events, Black Hawk Down is the heroic account of a group of elite U.S. soldiers sent into Mogadishu, Somalia in October 1993 as part of a U.N. peacekeeping operation. When their mission takes an unexpected turn it results in the U.S. military's single biggest firefight since Vietnam.

(From Around the World in 80 DVD's on February 4th, 2008)

Ghost Whisperer Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

1. LOVE NEVER DIES
NOTE: The plot for this one gives a huge season 1 spoiler... if you have not seen all of season 1 yet... do not look!

My Thoughts:
This is a really good episode. I love the fact that it continues right where season 1 left off. Melinda works extra hard on helping this week's ghost cross over.

2. LOVE STILL WON'T DIE
The guy that broke up with Melinda years ago when she revealed her gift to him is now haunting her. And Melinda meets a new friend, realitor Delia Banks.

My Thoughts:
Not a great episode... but definitely good. We see in this episode another reason why Melinda is very careful about who she tells her secret to.

3. DROWNED LIVES
Melinda and Jim befriend a couple whose house is haunted by the ghost of a little girl who drowned, and who's waiting for the return of the father who left her.

My Thoughts:
Great Episode! I don't know why... but for some reason I really enjoy the episodes where the ghost is a young kid. I guess there is something more eerie about kid ghosts.

4. THE GHOST WITHIN
New store employee Delia buys some ornaments that a quiet ghostwants Melinda to examine. It's only later that Melinda realizes he's autistic.

My Thoughts:
This one is just ok in my opinion... I found it to be a little on the slow side. I actually caught myself starting to dose off on this one.

(From Ghost Whisperer Marathon on August 3rd, 2008)