 | |
List Price: $59.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 12699
Released: August 17, 2004 |
| Our Price: $21.23 |
| Used Price: $15.97 |
|
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Presents five films directed by Martin Scorsese.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: UN
Release Date: 17-AUG-2004
Media Type: DVD
Description of Martin Scorsese Collection (After Hours/Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore/Goodfellas/Mean Streets/Who's That Knocking At My Door?):
Almost by accident, these five Warner Brothers films represent key moments in Martin Scorsese's career. Three of the films debut on DVD; all have excellent presentations plus new commentaries from Scorsese. The black-and-white Who's That Knocking at My Door? (1968) was Scorsese's first film, an episodic tale of growing up in Little Italy. Mean Streets (1973) put him on the map. After taking a bit of Hollywood bait (Boxcar Bertha), mentor John Cassavetes put Scorsese straight to find his true vision, and this nervy look at New York friends who border the gangster life is the result. This new special edition has the commentary track and a big improvement in its home video presentation.
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) put Scorsese in the mainstream. This tale of a single mom (Ellen Burstyn in an Oscar-winning performance) finding second chances in the arid Southwest proved the New York City kid could tell other types of stories. After Hours (1985) saved Scorsese. The drain of big movies and his unsuccessful first attempt to make The Last Temptation of Christ left the auteur doubting his talent. The nightmarish comedy starting Griffin Dunne is a love-it-or-leave-it for many Scorsese fans, but the fast shoot schedule and claustrophobic story rejuvenated Scorsese and won him Best Director kudos at Cannes. The highlight of the collection is a two-disc edition of his masterpiece, GoodFellas (1990), complete with a remastered print and a dynamite commentary by several key talents (recorded separately) including Ray Liotta, author Nicholas Pileggi, and even Robert De Niro. Even with an extra disc of three featurettes, it's the film on which we hear the least from the man himself, but perhaps all we need to know is on the screen. --Doug Thomas
Martin Scorsese Collection (After Hours/Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore/Goodfellas/Mean Streets/Who's That Knocking At My Door?) Reviews:
It's a collection of movies... 
2009-08-20 - ... By Martin Scorsese.
Worth it for After Hours by itself.
About those who don't follow the 9 to 5 company man routine 
2009-05-30 - Who's That Knocking at My Door ( 1969 ) attracts viewers
from the 2 punch combination, of being a Martin Scorcese
picture and of headlining Harvey Keitel.
This film demonstrated and set the standard for world-class
work that both individuals would continue accomplishing
time and again, onwards.
In this particular movie, there's various components, the
main one being an attempt to bridge the gap between making
a professional movie, and what is interesting for the
average man in the street, early to mid 20's, who finished
school or college, but who at present isn't following the
set pattern of the 9 to 5 company man routine.
As such, a large part of the 90 mins shows Keitel and Zina
Bethune establishing a rapport, building a relationship,
gaining intimacy, and finally, addressing spiritual core
issues of morality in terms of how much their relationship
should or would need to evolve and grow, legitimately.
In reality, Keitel and 2 pals all struggle to find meaning
in their lives, (although they may not realize it) not
having a set objective overall of what they want to do with
it, preferring instead to perpetuate an adolescent
(frat-house) lifestyle, of driving in a car, hosting
parties with hired women as entertainment, drinking,
gambling and playing cards, when not managing a snack bar
one of them is managing.
At the same time, Keitel's character is perplexed in
reconciling his libido (which he amply satisfies with a
number of hired women in his flat, throwing cash at them),
with his upper-class, mature Italian family upbringing or
with traditions also inculcated from early on. He
makes a distinction between the fun he has with those fast
women, as compared with the serious relationship he desired
with a girlfriend he's planning on spending his life with,
originally drawing an impervious line between the two.
The filming is wide-screen, black and white, with crystal
clear images; the only bizarre moments being the lack of
audio in some scenes showing people talking, or the out of
place audio as compared to what is visually shown, or
simply random noises in the background.
A number of popular mainstream American numbers are
selected, such as "The Closer You Are" doo-wop, and others,
allowing youth to (again) better relate to the action as
compared to movies from earlier generations.
Keitel's talent is clear, as he visually expresses with
subtlety, feelings that are simmering below the surface,
bringing a natural presence, or personality, to the
picture, more real to viewers.
The director decided to film all the actors wearing a
sports suit and tie, as a kind of standard uniform, for
stylish reasons.
The technology of the era is somewhat demonstrated, with
multiple floor automobile parking, air conditioning and
electric windows in vehicles, etc.
This suggests the protagonist is set in his ways, and can't
reform or correct his character, and suggests also perhaps,
that's what every American is going through in this day and
age (late 1960's.)
The work is time well spent, as the editing is spotless,
and Zina Bethune's soft-spoken, candid, realistic acting is
a match for Harvey Keitel.
A film about those who don't follow the 9 to 5 company man routine
2009-05-30 - Who's That Knocking at My Door ( 1969 ) attracts viewers
from the 2 punch combination, of being a Martin Scorcese
picture and of headlining Harvey Keitel.
This film demonstrated and set the standard for world-class
work that both individuals would continue accomplishing
time and again, onwards.
In this particular movie, there's various components, the
main one being an attempt to bridge the gap between making
a professional movie, and what is interesting for the
average man in the street, early to mid 20's, who finished
school or college, but who at present isn't following the
set pattern of the 9 to 5 company man routine.
As such, a large part of the 90 mins shows Keitel and Zina
Bethune establishing a rapport, building a relationship,
gaining intimacy, and finally, addressing spiritual core
issues of morality in terms of how much their relationship
should or would need to evolve and grow, legitimately.
In reality, Keitel and 2 pals all struggle to find meaning
in their lives, (although they may not realize it) not
having a set objective overall of what they want to do with
it, preferring instead to perpetuate an adolescent
(frat-house) lifestyle, of driving in a car, hosting
parties with hired women as entertainment, drinking,
gambling and playing cards, when not managing a snack bar
one of them is managing.
At the same time, Keitel's character is perplexed in
reconciling his libido (which he amply satisfies with a
number of hired women in his flat, throwing cash at them),
with his upper-class, mature Italian family upbringing or
with Catholic traditions also inculcated from early on. He
makes a distinction between the fun he has with those fast
women, as compared with the serious relationship he desired
with a girlfriend he's planning on spending his life with,
originally drawing an impervious line between the two.
The filming is wide-screen, black and white, with crystal
clear images; the only bizarre moments being the lack of
audio in some scenes showing people talking, or the out of
place audio as compared to what is visually shown, or
simply random noises in the background.
A number of popular mainstream American numbers are
selected, such as "The Closer You Are" doo-wop, and others,
allowing youth to (again) better relate to the action as
compared to movies from earlier generations.
Keitel's talent is clear, as he visually expresses with
subtlety, feelings that are simmering below the surface,
bringing a natural presence, or personality, to the
picture, more real to viewers.
The director decided to film all the actors wearing a
sports suit and tie, as a kind of standard uniform, for
stylish reasons.
The technology of the era is somewhat demonstrated, with
multiple floor automobile parking, air conditioning and
electric windows in vehicles, etc.
A questionable decision, are the final moments of the work,
which is the juxtaposition of pop music and sacred
religious objects, not long after Keitel's character is
shown repenting and confessing his sins.
This suggests the protagonist is set in his ways, and can't
reform or correct his character, and suggests also perhaps,
that's what every American is going through in this day and
age (late 1960's.)
The work is time well spent, as the editing is spotless,
and Zina Bethune's soft-spoken, candid, realistic acting is
a match for Harvey Keitel.
My review.
2009-01-13 - This product represents Martin Scorsese's signature works which in my opinion stand the test of time and demonstrate his genius as a story teller.
What A Bargain
2009-01-11 - Purchased this great colection at my local Walmart for $13.00. Unbelievable! "Goodfellas" alone is worth that price!
