A Timeless Classic,so atypical for the late fifties/early sixties
340823
I have watched "Perry Mason" since I was 2 years old, & watch the reruns on local TV(Ch. 56/KDOC-Orange Co,Ca.)once in awhile. So owning the complete series may take awhile, but I love the scenery of that era in L.A.The plots may seem contrived for today, but I still think it's the best Law Show for it's time. I am a fan,thus my 2 Cockers are named Della Street & Perry Mason. If you like nostalgia, this is a must have.
3457610
This is one of the best albums of its time for the 1950s and into the 1960s. A classic, this one is to be had by all jazz and general music collectors. It is timeless. It is refreshing and eclectic. It's a dialogue between mind and soul, for all to experience and share.
3510427
This is almost strictly a two-person movie with Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn dominating the story and screen time. It's a likable classic film because of those two famous actors, a nice romance, good adventure and even some comedy thrown in to the mix.

 I'm shocked a well-known film with these actors still isn't available on DVD in Region 1, as of 2009.  That's just ridiculous. Hopefully, they'll produce a sharp Blu-Ray disc of this film.

The two actors squabble in the beginning but I like the fact that the film didn't go on too long in that regard as they did in many old-time battle-of-the-sexes movies. The story also a little unusual in that neither lead actor is in his/her prime, meaning it's almost a middle-age romance story.

Once they become enamored with each other, the movie mainly goes into the trials the two have in piloting this boat, "The African Queen" down river with the goal of reaching a German ship and blowing it up. Yes, it's a World War II movie, of sorts.

To be honest, the film does slow down a bit in the beginning of Bogie and Hepburn's romance but the last 30 minutes finish strong with one obstacle after another hitting the pair of adventurers, and it's interesting to watch.
310305
THE SPIRIT OF '67 is one of those LPs that I cannot possibly write about with any sense of dispassion, for this 1966 release is the album that tore me away from the traditional folk, pop, Broadway and classical music I loved in my childhood and hurtled me right into the mainstream of 1960s music. Like a tree, my interests branched out from there.

I revisited the Beatles (who at the time I thought of as goofy&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Yellow-Submarine/dp/B0025KVLUG/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Yellow Submarine</a>rs) after hearing the classically-oriented "Undecided Man" and recognizing its string quartet antecedence within "Eleanor Rigby." I gave the&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Yardbirds/dp/B001BAWKJC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Yardbirds</a>, the&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Stones/dp/B000003BES/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Stones</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Dave-Clark-Five/dp/B000000OCV/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Dave Clark Five</a>&nbsp;further consideration because of "Good Thing," a tune that -I- considered the 'B' of "Undecided Man."

And my tree of discovery continued to branch from there. The now more acceptable (to my ears) folk rock of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Simon-and-Garfunkel/dp/B00005NKKV/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Simon and Garfunkel</a>&nbsp;led backwards to&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Dylan/dp/B00000J7SM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Dylan</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Byrds/dp/B000002ACO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Byrds</a>, but then forward with&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Buffalo-Springfield/dp/B000002IAZ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Buffalo Springfield</a>. By 1968, I was into the Vanilla Fudge's&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/RENAISSANCE/dp/B00000GX0C/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">RENAISSANCE</a>. And then came&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Led-Zeppelin/dp/B000002J01/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Led Zeppelin</a>. There was no turning back for me, and no regrets.

With the retrospect of decades I've lately been revisiting my pre-rock listening roots, but there's simply no denying that the roots of another tree planted with the Raiders' "Spirit of '67" are forever firmly entwined among those older musical anchors.

Here's the first part of "Undecided Man," a song that opened so many doors of exploration for this reviewer.

I've been thinking 22 years all about it
Closer I get to the truth the more I doubt it
Don't step out of your rut my friend
You'll mess the master plan
And you'll end up like I am
I am an undecided man
Look at them, look at you, look at me!

SIDE ONE
[3:01] All About Her
[2:09] In My Community
[2:08] Louise
[2:57] Why? Why? Why? (Is it So Hard)
[3:02] Oh! To Be A Man

SIDE TWO
[2:57] Hungry
[1:48] Undecided Man
[2:49] Our Candidate
[4:25] 1001 Arabian Nights
[3:07] The Great Airplane Strike

TOTAL TIME: 28:23
929684
I hate to call things "classic" because the phrase is overused but Princess Bride qualifies. As old as it is, it's not dated and it remains one of the greatest gentle comedic romance fantasies ever made. The entire cast is marvelous, the script is charming and cracks along nicely, the visuals are sometimes great, sometimes good enough. For those who've only read the book, it's been cropped heavily and some of the framing story has been changed but nothing really affects the overall success of the movie. It appeals to several generations too: watch it with grandma.
1545753
This novella, written in 1958, still carries a theme of edginess.  Holly Golightly is a social  rapscallion who navigates her way to New Yorks society pages with a casual wisp of ethical and moral remorse.  She leaves a bevy of male suitors in her wake.  Capote builds his narrative well.  A flawed and unsympathetic character grows to become a heroine.  The farewell-to-cat scene captures the storys essence perfectly.  Despite a few dated descriptors, the book merits its iconic status and delivers a clever and ageless commentary.  The audio book offers a strong performance.
2674615
It's a classic! What else is out there to say?
1889726
This is a classic, and I had to read it at this price!
1511106
You will find yourself liking this movie in spite of the stiff performances.  You'll may even feel compelled to watch it twice. "Chick flick" will be your husband's first remark.  Yes, it is, and in marvelous black and white.  What was wild in the early 1960's is considered mild in this century. But I still wouldn't want to explain this plot to a pre-teen.  If you like this movie, you may also like other movies about sublimated or hidden desires, such as, "Reflections in a Golden Eye", or "Separate Tables" or "Night of the Generals".
4406020
Near classic and under-appreciated sequel with the classic original
2612997
One of the most famous of the British New Wave or "kitchen sink dramas" that emerged as a vital force in cinema from the late fifties through sixties, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner deserves its classic status and is as fresh today as it ever was.  Consistent with the general focus of these films on the lives of the working class, the film also takes place in the Midlands and North as they do, this time in Nottingham. Director Tony Richardson coming off Look Back In Anger and The Entertainer  managed to craft yet another brilliant look at  the British class system as the country moved out of the postwar period and into the sixties.

One of the keys to the film is its relatively fair and dispassionate view of  society,  demonizing neither side and avoiding polemic, instead showing how even a society trying to improve conditions can make a muddle of things. Tom Courtenay in his first major role as Colin is absolutely intense and riveting in a demanding role of a sullen and angry lad sent to Ruxton Towers, a relatively progressive reformatory in the country.  He has gotten in trouble with the law over a petty theft of cash and was living with his uncaring mother who is busy spending the small settlement she got after her husband's death and entertaining a new boyfriend.  This story is told in flashbacks while Colin adjusts to life with the other lads at Ruxton.

the staff at  Ruxton is portrayed sympathetically as  wanting to help the youths through hard work, athletics and psychological counseling. Michael Redgrave is perfect as the Governor,  too upper class to really understand the boys but  not the usual martinet.  He is particularly fixated with having one of his boys win a five mile race against  Ranley, a posh school which in the past would never have participated in athletics with a place like Ruxton. Then he notices that Colin is a superb runner, easily beating his previous star and he sets him apart for special training and favors including long runs outside the reformatory grounds. it's on these runs that Colin looks back on his life thus far. Though his home life is grim, there is also a beautifully shot , lyrical holiday at  a coastal resort town with his best friend Mike and two girls. Everything builds to the day of the big race and Colin's chance to shine.

Everything about the film works perfectly, and it retains that almost-documentary feeling of most of these British films that set them apart from the usual dramas of standard films. The black and white photography is so fine that you wouldn't want it to have been made in color, another  trait of these films. some people find tom Courtenay looking a bit too old for the role, and indeed, he seems to have always looked older than his age. But the role is so demanding that one cannot imagine anyone else in it and can only imagine how badly it might have failed had they picked someone only for looking like a teenager. The ending is full of surprises and its meaning is open to interpretation. In its day, I feel that the audience would have felt one way about it, but today it is much more open to other ways of viewing it, so much time and change have occurred. This is one of the great strengths of the film. It will always be relevant.

Now if only Amazon would get Richardson's A Taste of Honey  which unfortunately seems to be totally absent from the catalog right now.
2442980
What word do you use when "classic" just doesn't quite cut it? Whatever it is it must be used to describe this film. Sure, its dated, made in the early 80's when both Debbie Harry and Cheap Trick were at their zenith (if you say you're a Cheap Trick fan these days people either look at you with blank faces, having not heard of them, or they laugh, ridiculing your taste in music...even so, I'm proud to admit they're my all-time faves). Of course, this movie isn't about them, or even "made" by their musical appearences, but it would have been so much poorer without them, as well as Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Earth, Wind and Fire. What I'm trying to say in a round about way is, if you like animated film as opposed to cartoons, and ones that are very different to the norm, you just have to see this one. Heck, its a great story of the battle between Good and Evil too, what more do you want? Original too.

I first saw this movie way back in the late 80's...now, I live in Australia so even today only the single-disc version is available (and its region 1 which is odd as we use region 4!) I loved it from the first viewing, vowing to tape it next it was on. Needless to say, due to the time it was shown (usually around 2am) I never managed to do that. It had been about 10 years since  I last saw it to when it arrived in my mail box after ordering it on Amazon...and it went straight in the DVD player!

It wasn't quite as fantastic as I'd remembered it, but what is? It still grabbed me, just not as strongly. And I had a great feeling of accomplishment, that I finally had it! And the 2 disc edition too!

Now, if you're trying to decide which edition to spend your hard-earned on, well it depends on one thing...if you just wanna see it again, or if you're a bit of a completist and have to have the other, original version (which is of fairly poor quality due to the fact the original negatives were destroyed some years ago). If its the latter, buy the 2 disc, there's some great bonus stuff. If the former, the 2 disc would be good for you but isn't needed.

Yes, it is dated. Yes, its a little primitive, though it does feature some remarkable animation techniques for its time and budget...not to mention that just the fact it was released at all is testimony to the determination of its creative and production teams. The world would have been much poorer without it.

For parents wondering if its suitable for their younguns...well, no....sure, while there is no swearing or real violence, it is an adult concept, and would therefore be fairly boring for kids.....just as some animated movies are today (the Incredibles for example, nothing really bad in it, just not aimed at the child audience - though you wouldn't know it from the merchendising), in other words its aimed at us, the big kids.

If you can handle listening to classic 80's rock performers, have a distaste for the generic disney style of animation, and have a love of the genre....GET THIS MOVIE! You will not regret it!
514486
Undeniably a timeless classic, but more suited to brighten up a room or add culture to your bathroom than to stimulate any deep thought. It's not that it's worth is dated, on the contrary Sun Tzu's ideas remain timeless, but rather that it's too vague to generate much useful thought.
4490216
Great classic movie from the  late 70s or 80s.  It is adapted very  well from the book by  author Thomas Hardy.  In
Hardy's novels, as indicated in this movie, all the characters are "waiting" for someone or something.  Excellent acting by
all actors, especially Nastassja Kinski.  This  movie seemed, also, to have a bit of a sense of foreboding.  The extremely poor
living conditions of the peasants of that day were so wretched, it was  amazing anyone survived;  their day-to-day existence was
so miserable, it's no wonder all were "waiting." Sometimes it was  hard to enjoy the beauty of the English  countryside because of the  unhappiness of so many of the characters.  But the movie was a tremendous hit in its day.  As mentioned already, the actors
all did a wonderful job, and Hardy's plots were always interesting and realistic.
4469781
"Vanishing Point" is Sarafian's classic film about the dashed hopes of a young man in the late sixties/early seventies counter-culture whose life is taking unusual turns as he becomes a car-runner who decides (just for the hell of it) to get to his destination in record time despite being well ahead of the due date (driving his white 1970 Dodge Challenger, a cinematic symbol of phallic testosterone-driven dominance if there ever was one). That's the extent of the plot, sort of, but there are so many unusual counter-culture oddities in "Vanishing Point" that it should be made must-see viewing for students of drive-in era cinema.
One suspects an allegory to Vietnam, a lament for lost love, and a longing for finding a niche to fit in to a world that absolutely has lost its ability to shape itself according to the past. This is the great thrill of "Vanishing Point"--it is a film that questions where humanity had come up to this point (1971), and where it may be heading in future. Although it has the flavor of a hippie-oriented second cousin to "Easy Rider," Newman's Kowalski is the staple figure of a post-conservative worldview that was struggling to see the future in a haze of free sex, rapidly increasing drugs, disillusioned youth, and angry Protestant-like parents and authorities. A viewer is caught up in Kowalski's angst about human loss and the destiny of his own life, and as his paucity of endurance arrives, it leads to a shocking, splattering conclusion which illustrates how the Vietnam, post-hippie generation was about to explode into a nitroglycerin meltdown of utter anxiety and death. But...this movie is still a good time.
There is much to see in this film--from Gilda Texter's fully nude run on a mini-bike (and beyond) to the beautiful, powerfully photogenic landscapes of the American Southwest (with the Nevada locations looking especially lush here)--and historians should have fun trying to locate the cultural significance of this often-overlooked character study. While it may not be to every taste, and it certainly remains "dated" as a product of a by-gone era, "Vanishing Point" is a corner stone for understanding how to reassess the classic drive-in titles of yesterday. A-
1675459
First of all, understand that Rebecca is a classic written in 1938 about high society. This means, of course, that much of the novel entails good manners, sitting down to tea, gossiping with servants, and calling on neighbors you don't particularly care for. In addition, this is a romance novel (albeit a gothic romance novel), so every scene is tinged with a ye olden and heart-pounding version of OMG, I hope he thinks I look too hot in this dress. Also, much of the extensive and often wordy imagery in the novel centers around the luscious flora and fauna that inhabit the main love interests estate. Also, the novel is set in England, so each character lovingly comes with an extra stick up the butt. HOWEVER, I will also tell you that if all classics were as engaging as this book, then perhaps high schoolers wouldnt contemplate scooping their eyes out with a rusty spoon every time their English teacher hands out the next required reading novel.

Let's think back, for a moment, too all of the great classics that I had to read in high school that I hated: The Scarlet Letter, Huck Finn, Pride and Prejudice, The Once and Future King, etc. None of these novels actually made me want to keep reading them to find out what happens. This is a major failing with such required-reading classics - if we teachers didn't require the reading of them, students would not finish them because most of them aren't actually enjoyable to read! Now, let's be honest, Im not saying that every fourteen year old boy would love reading Rebecca, but its sure as sh*t better than reading Great Expectations!

Why is this book so good, even for a classic, you ask? Well you see, I have read lots of books that come with the gothic tag, supposedly dark, broody and spooky, everything a modern reader should love, but Rebecca nails these qualities: passion and love, large shadowy mansions with many stinking rooms, evil servants, death, metaphorical ghosts (though this is about as literal as a metaphorical ghost can be), drunken relatives, storms, aloof and mysterious but devastatingly handsome men, and a Dark Sea who keeps her many secrets. The chapters crawl with atmosphere. There is no doubt that Alfred Hitchcock read this book with a kerchief in hand to wipe away the drool (hence the award-winning 1940 movie).

Despite the rather pedestrian first fifty pages, the pace at which Daphne du Maurier builds the rest of her book with suspense and clues to drag the reader along is masterful, and even when you think youve finally got it figured out, you dont. The twists and the horrors and the social embarrassments just keep coming, and with each new revelation the reader connects with the characters just a bit more until by the end you're just screaming at the book, Why won't you just let love win, dammit! Fire the maid, bring the tea, open your eyes...Cant you see she LOVES YOU!!?!?

Whew. I just cant say enough good about this book. I admit it took me about five chapters to get into it, and even then, I ran to SparkNotes occasionally just make sure what I thought was going on was actually what was going on (and it was), and even though I kept SparkNotes up throughout my entire reading, I never actually needed it.

If youve got the time, read this book. Its one of the best that Ive read this year.

(Oh, man. So much love is in the air. Barf...it stinks of romance in this room...I gotta go read me a book about chainsaws and dragons or somethin')
2927876
Having watched the George C. Scott movie on Christmas Eve, I realized that I had never read the actual novel (aside from a children's abridged version when I was 7 or 8), and since it was already on my Kindle, I should set about correcting that

At times, Dickens' punctuation makes me want to put my eye out with a fork and the language becomes stiff and uneasy, but then I remind myself that the book is over 100 years old and I should be glad that I can read it at all. There is a reason this book is a beloved classic: more than 100 years later, the story still holds up. As does the lesson the author sought to impart. A lovely, quick read.