DVD Collectors Online

Samaritan Zatoichi, a review by Antares

Samaritan Zatoichi (1968) 64/100 - This was the last film in the Zatoichi series made by Daiei studios before declaring bankruptcy and ceasing to be. And though the previous film, Zatoichi and the Fugitives infused some well needed energy into the series, this last film just couldn't maintain the impetus. The first film in this series, directed by Kenji Misumi, that I felt was running on life support. It features a hodgepodge of Zatoichi-staple story lines, infused with some silly humor that is beyond believable. A few times I found myself wondering why they even bothered to make this last film. It's not a bad film, just eighty minutes of rehashed, kind of ho-hum action. Oh well, on to Toho and a meeting with Mifune!

Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on September 7th, 2014)

Lola rennt, a review by goodguy

Lola rennt (DE 1998, AKA Run Lola Run) Written & Directed by: Tom Tykwer Starring: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu DVD: R2-UK Columbia TriStar (2000) My rating:

Cover Blurb: Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu), who works as a small-time courier for a big-time gangster, is in huge trouble. He has accidentally left the cash from a mob deal on the subway, and he has only twenty minutes to deliver the 100,000 marks to his unforgiving boss. Desperate, he calls his girlfriend, Lola (Franka Potente), the only person who can rescue him form certain death.
As the seconds tick away and the tiniest choices become life altering, Lola must try to reach Manni before the line between fate and fortune begins to blur. One story told from three different perspectives, Run Lola Run is a veritable maze of intriguing plot twists and heart-stopping suspense in a high-octane thrill ride about one woman's desperate attempt to save her lover.review, I decided to round up. Frankly, Jon's reaction surprised me, because "Run Lola Run" bridges the gap between experimental arthouse cinema and mainstream with a postmodernist approach that is not entirely unlike the early movies of Tarantino. Of course, Tykwer is less violent, a little more philosophical, a lot more puristic, and his hommages (which are actually just little nods) to other movies show a better taste.

Now, is RLR the best video game adaptation without being based on any actual game, a cross between "Groundhog Day", Godard's "Breathless" and "Wonder Woman", a philosophical meditation on fate and chance, or a portrait of the reunited Berlin, completely in flux?

Well, it is all that and probably more, but while the movie certainly isn't without depth, it also works on a strict surface level as a fantasy of wish fulfillment that is pure Hollywood. Add to that an iconic female lead, true love that conquers all and a few thriller elements, and you are in for a fun ride.

Right from the start, the prolog ironically alternates between both choices. T. S. Elliot versus Sepp Herberger, a narrator waxing philosophically only to be dismissed by more football platitudes from a guy in uniform.

The plot and the backstory are given in the initial phone conversation between Lola and Manni that gets more and more hysterical until Lola's first glass-shattering scream. Then it's mission time for Lola. 20 minutes to get the money from her banker dad and to get to Manni before he robs a supermarket. Game on and Lola runs through Berlin to frantic techno music with spoken lyrics, Anne-Clark-style. If at first you don't succeed, repeat. Three times.

That's pretty much all that happens. There is no narrative ballast, no character motivations, no further explanations, only encounters and exchanges, although the repetitions cleverly interlock, expand and, of course, change the happenings until the final outcome is achieved. That minimalist narrative is of course what makes RLR interesting, because while it keeps the basic framework of an escapist mainstream fantasy, it throws away all the exchangeable fillings.

Tykwer uses different techniques and even different film materials to organize his story. Lola and Manni are shot on normal 35mm film, the flashbacks of Manni's initial backstory are in black and white, any scenes not involving those two are shot on video. As Lola runs into various people on her mission, a sequence of photographs shows flash-forwards to their future as generated by the ripple effect of Lola's actions. There is animation, there are split screens, an almost codified use of colors, dazzling camera moves that create a hyperkinetic visual style. The pacing and editing is flawless and the rhythm precise with ironic counterpoints and full stops, such as the sudden soap opera of Lola's dad and his mistress in the bank office.

Each segment starts with the same scene Lola leaving the apartment (and her distracted mother). Then it turns into a cartoon of Lola running down a staircase and passing a guy with a dog on the way. That's her first obstacle and the first difference between the segments, with a strong hint how the segment will play out. The song lyrics do so as well. In the first run, she is determined, but she just passively reacts. In the second run she fights head-on, with no regards for herself or the people around her. In the third run she becomes completely in tune with what is happening around her, causing her to succeed.

The final ending cannot be anything than a happy one, albeit again with a slightly ironic touch. Also, if you didn't pay attention to the bank security guard, you might have missed something.

I'm glad Jon caused me to rewatch this; I had almost forgotten why I liked Tykwer once. I also posted a few remarks directly in response to Jon's review.

And for a Berlin film that is the complete antithesis to RLR, I recommend Maria Speth's "In den Tag hinein" (AKA The Days Between).


(From goodguy's Watch Log on July 19th, 2010)

Pete's Pilots, a review by addicted2dvd

Beastmaster
In an age when nature and magic ruled the world, an extraordinary legend was born... The BeastMaster!

At long last, the entire first season of the spectacular BeastMaster series comes to home video in an epic 22 episode season 1 DVD collection. Based on the works of legendary science fiction author Andre Norton, this is the saga of Dar, a legendary warrior born of the beasts and gifted with the ability to communicate with animals! Joined by the scholar Tao and a legion of animal warriors, Dar must journey through a world before time, on an epic odyssey to bring peace and justice to a land faced with incredible evil.

The Legend Continues
Dar begins his quest to rescue his love, Kyra, after the Terron warriors abduct her.

My Thoughts:
I originally seen this series when I caught a few odd episodes on syndicated TV. Unfortunately because it was a syndicated series you never really knew from one week to the next if it will be on the following week.  I was thrilled when I found the DVD releases. I finally was able to see the entire series and in order. While it is an entertaining series I wouldn't call it a favorite. It never gained the popularity of Hercules or Xena... but was worth watching. There is one familiar face in this series... a young Emilie de Raven (Roswell, Lost) had a recurring role in the first 2 seasons (I believe) of this show.

My Rating:

(From Pete's Pilots on November 2nd, 2009)