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Burnt Offerings, a review by addicted2dvd

Title: Burnt Offerings
Movie Count: 60
TV Ep Count: 29
Other  Count: 2
Time Started: 4:45am
Plot:My Thoughts:
This is another one I never seen until today. But I have heard some good things about it. And I have found myself becoming a fan of Karen Black so was fun to see her in another movie. Even though I found this movie to start a little slow... I found myself quickly getting into it. It has a good... but subtle atmosphere that works very well for this movie. This is definitely one I am glad I added to my collection.



(From My Month Long Horror/Halloween Marathon: 2008 on October 18th, 2008)

The Bad Sleep Well, a review by Antares

Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru





Year: 1960
Film Studio: Toho, Janus Films
Genre: Drama, Suspense/Thriller
Length: 151 Min.

Director
Akira Kurosawa (1910)

WritingProducer
Akira Kurosawa (1910)
Tomoyuki Tanaka (1910)

Cinematographer
Yuzuru Aizawa

MusicStarsReview
       This film, for me, is the greatest argument for having movies shown in the true aspect ratio in which they were created by the director. I first watched this film in the late nineties on VHS in the dreaded Pan and Scan rendition, and I did not like it. Years went by and I waited for its eventual release on DVD in its original aspect ratio of 2:35 to 1, so I could see if this was the antidote to my displeasure with the film so many years ago. And lo and behold, upon a second viewing of the film in a widescreen format, my first assessment turned out to be way off the mark. No longer did I view it as overly-long, stilted and uneven, but an engrossing and rich melodrama from one of the most celebrated and creative directors in cinema history, Akira Kurosawa. There has never been another director as adept at framing actors, scenery and narrative action across the broad area of the screen as Kurosawa. And thus, when portions of the film are excised to accommodate the resizing needed for viewing on conventional televisions, the film takes on the appearance of an abridged Cliffs notes version, devoid of substance.

       The Bad Sleep Well
       While I shy away from rating this film with five stars, I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes taut suspenseful drama. If you are new to the films of Akira Kurosawa, this may be too dry and unapproachable to the novice Kurosawa fan. Try out some of his more accessible films such as Seven Samurai and Yojimbo first, and then give this one a chance. Once you are anointed to the genius of his filmmaking, this will be a treasure waiting to be discovered.



Ratings Criterion
- The pinnacle of film perfection and excellence.
- Not quite an immortal film, yet a masterpiece in its own right.
- Historically important film, considered a classic.
- Borderline viewable.
- A gangrenous and festering pustule in the chronicles of celluloid.


(From Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru (The Bad Sleep Well) (1960) on April 20th, 2010)

Twilight Zone, a review by addicted2dvd

55. Mr. Dingle, The Strong (3/3/61)
A timid salesman (Burgess Meridith) is given super strength by a Martian experimenter. He eventually returns to normal - briefly. For the experiments have just begun!

My Thoughts:
This is one I have seen a few times before and always enjoyed it. Another fun episode. Not only does it have Burgess Meridith... who I have always liked in his episodes of the Twilight Zone... but also Don Rickles who I also always enjoyed. Attached to the end of this episode is a TV Spot for The Andy Griffith Show. Extras added to this episode is an Isolated Score and an audio commentary with Don Rickles. I couldn't wait to hear the audio commentary so I did watch it after the episode. Unfortunately there wasn't much to the commentary track... first of all the commentary was only for 1 scene of the episode instead of the whole episode... plus there was too much silence on his part considering it was just a commentary for the one scene.

56. Static (3/10/61)
Life seems to have passed by a grouchy old man (Dean Jagger). However, everything changes when an antique radio starts to broadcast programs from his youth that only he can hear.

My Thoughts:
This is another one I never seen before. Was an OK episode... but nothing that would make a favorite for me. This is another episode that there was some slight problems with the video. Seems like many I never seen on TV has these slight problems. Which could be why you never catch them on TV. Attached to the end of the episode was a TV Spot for the series My sister Ilene. Extras included with this episode is a Marc Zicree interview with Buzz Kulik and Original Production Slate.

57. The Prime Mover (3/24/61)
Ace Larsen has discovered that his business partner (Buddy Ebsen) can move things with his mind! They set out for Las Vegas and win - for a while anyway.

My Thoughts:
This was a pretty good episode... I enjoyed it. Is one of the handful I have seen before. Attached to this episode was a TV Spot for the series My Sister Ilene. The only extra on this episode is an Isolated Score.

58. Long Distance Call (3/31/61)
Before Grandma died, she gave Billy (Bill Mumy) a toy telephone, When he uses it to talk to her, his parents dismiss it as imagination - until Billy decides to join his Grandma!

My Thoughts:
This one is a very good episode that I have seen before. So far this one would rank up with my favorites. Attached to this episode is a TV Spot for The Andy Griffith Show. The extras included for this episode are an Audio Commentary with Bill Mumy and William Idelson and the Original Production Slate.

59. A Hundred Yards Over The Rim (4/7/61)
In 1847, a Western settler (Cliff Robertson) sets out to find medicine for his dying son - and stumbles into modern-day New Mexico. He returns with much more than just medicine.

My Thoughts:
Another good episode I seen before. I first saw this episode on one of the volume dvds I had. Attached to this episode is a TV spot for Gunsmoke. Extras that come with this episode includes an audio commentary with Cliff Robertson... a Marc Zicree interview with Buzz Kulik... an Isolated Score and The Twililght Zone Radio Drama staring James Caviezel.

60. The Rip Van Winkle Caper (4/21/61)
Thieves put themselves into suspended animation for 100 years after hiding a million dollars worth of gold bars. But even in the future, wealth is still far out of reach for two greedy crooks (Oscar Beregi, Simon Oakland).

My Thoughts:
This is another episode that I never seen before. was a really good episode. I really enjoyed it. Attached to this episode was a TV spot for Gunsmoke. The only extra for this episode is an Isolated Score.


Episodes I seen for the First time on this set include:

   1. Judgment Night (Episode 10)
   2. And When The Sky Was Opened (Episode 11)
   3. What You Need (Episode 12)
   4. I Shot an Arrow into the Air (Episode 15)
   5. The Hitch-Hiker (Episode 16)
   6. The Purple Testiment (Episode 19)
   7. Elegy (Episode 20)
   8. Mirror Image (Episode 21)
   9. A World of Difference (Episode 23)
  10. Long Live Walter Jameson (Episode 24)
  11. People Are Alike All Over (Episode 25)
  12. Execution (Episode 26)
  13. The Big Tall Wish (Episode 27)
  14. A Nice Place to Visit (Episode 28)
  15. Nightmare as a Child (Episode 29)
  16. The Chaser (Episode 31)
  17. Mr. Bevis (Episode 33)
  18. The Mighty Casey (Episode 35)
  19. A World of his Own (Episode 36)
  20. The Man in the Bottle (Episode 38)
  21. A Thing About Machines (Episode 40)
  22. The Howling Man (Episode 41)
  23. A Most Unusual Camera (Episode 46)
  24. Dust (Episode 48)
  25. Back There (Episode 49)
  26. The Whole Truth (Episode 50)
  27. Twenty-Two (Episode 53)
  28. The Odyssey of Flight 33 (Episode 54)
  29. Static (Episode 56)
  30. The Rip Van Winkle Caper (Episode 60)

(From Twilight Zone on February 5th, 2008)