DVD Collectors Online

Rome, Open City, a review by Rich

flit through beautiful italy



Title: Rome, Open City

Runtime:103
Certificate:12
Year:1945
Genres:War, Drama

Plot:One of the greatest foreign language films ever made, Roberto Rossellini's 'Rome, Open City' was filmed in the direct aftermath of World War II on the war-ravaged streets of Italy. Shunning Hollywood gloss and glamour, this frank tale is set against the backdrop of extreme conditions, and characterises neorealism's principal traits - natural lighting, handheld camerawork and a cast composed largely of non-actors.
Due to the scarcities of war, scraps of film acquired from photographers had to be used, giving the film a uniquely gritty style. Now digitally restored, Rossellini's masterpiece appears as never before.
Based on real events that took place in Nazi-occupied Italy in 1944, it examines the choices that people are forced to make in wartime. Centring on the Resistance and its members, this is a tragic and emotional exploration of human spirit and the effects of war.
My Review:
Cinematic history, slightly depressing content but with an underlying hopeful message. Probably to scholarly for my own tastes


(From Around the World in 80 DVD's on January 11th, 2008)

I Shot Jesse James, a review by Rogmeister

I Shot Jesse James (1949)  83 minutes

Written and Directed by Samuel Fuller
Cast: John Ireland, Barbara Britton, Reed Hadley, Preston Foster, Tom Tyler, Byron Foulger

This was Samuel Fuller's directorial debut...he would later to the even more stylistic "Forty Guns".  This film was shot in a mere 10 days for a low budget of $100,000 (small in even those days).  The movie, as you might guess from the title, was not reallyl about Jesse James (played by Reed Hadley) but more about "the dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard", Bob Ford (John Ireland) who, according to this film, shot Jesse in the back to get a promised amnesty for whoever turned Jesse in.  The film featured some unusual close-ups but the film did not have the unusual phtotography that I disliked in Forty Guns and I found this an interesting early effort for Fuller.  I found it an interesting low-budget western effort and worth the time it took to watch it.

(From DCO third annual November Alphabet Marathon - discussion/review/banter thread on November 21st, 2009)

Doctor Who Marathon, a review by Tom

Doctor Who
Series 1.13 The Parting of the Ways
Writer: Russell T Davies (Writer), Terry Nation (Original Characters By)
Director: Joe Ahearne
Cast: Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), John Barrowman (Captain Jack), Jo Stone Fewings (Male Programmer), Jo Joyner (Lynda), Paterson Joseph (Rodrick), Nisha Nayar (Female Programmer), Noel Clarke (Mickey), Camille Coduri (Jackie), Anne Robinson (Voice of Anne Droid), Nicholas Briggs (Dalek Voice), , Barnaby Edwards (Dalek Operators), Nicholas Pegg (Dalek Operators), David Hankinson (Dalek Operators), , Alan Ruscoe (Android), David Tennant (Doctor Who)

When I first saw this episode, I was surprised by the regeneration in this episode. I knew that the ninth doctor only had one series, but I didn't know that it was known during shooting of the first series, that he will leave after that one. And that they already had the replacement cast.
Also otherwise this is a great episode. The perfect first series finale. This episode also marks another milestone: Captain Jack gets immortal, though he doesn't know it yet.




(From Doctor Who Marathon on February 11th, 2014)