Hard Boiled (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)

Amazon.com essential video

Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard-Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. --Robert Lane

Description

A tough-as-nails cop teams up with an undercover agent to bring down a gun smuggling ring. Features some of the most amazing and influential action set pieces in cinematic history.

Customer Reviews:

Important film that didn't age well..........2007-08-12

When Hard Boiled came out as a theatrical release I was blown away. It was utterly unlike any other film I had seen up to that point. Now though it's been imitated so many times, both by Hollywood and by Woo himself, it just doesn't hold up. It plays almost as a parody of itself.

It's worth seeing because it is such an important milestone, but don't be surprised if your memory of the film is stronger than the film itself.

A good introduction to the "Heroic Gun Play" genre.......2007-08-12

This was my first experience with a movie from the "Heroic Gun Play" genre. I'm not a fan of American action pictures, so I had always shied away from John Woo's Hong Kong action flicks. I now see that I have definitely missed some great movies (I'm female, so a bunch of guys shooting guns at one another was never something I thought I would get into). I decided to give the movie a look because Tony Leung is my favorite actor at the moment and I knew that he co-starred in the film. Actually, Leung and Philip Kwok Choy (the killer Mad Dog in the film AND the action director) steal every scene they share with Chow Yun-Fat. Now I want to check out some of the Shaw Bros. films Kwok Choy was in to see more of this martial arts actor.

Maybe it is the surprising emotional complexity Leung brings to the film and the exhilerating action sequences (and that the killing looks so fake), but I thoroughly enjoyed the film. As a neophyte, the commentary and 3 interviews added to my understanding and enjoyment of the film. Since this is a cult film, I understand that die-hard fans of Woo and this particular film might be disappointed in various aspects of the presentation (this isn't a Criterion 2-disc premium treatment, afterall). But, as an introduction to this film, to Woo 's heroic gun play pictures and to the world of Hong Kong action films, it is as good a place to start as any. I am definitely looking forward to viewing other John Woo HK films.

Not the "Ultimate" but Awesome Nonetheless.......2007-07-31

For those of you lucky enough to own the Criterion Collection edition of this movie, you might want to hold onto your copy as none of the extras from that edition are included on this one. That being said, the video and audio on this version easily surpass any previous Region 1 incarnations making this edition a must-have for fans of the movie.

The first disc features an audio commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan. He shows off his impressive knowledge of HK geography by pointing out which locations in the film don't exist anymore and their significance in the country's culture. Logan also dishes out interesting factoids, like the teahouse in the opening sequence was going to be demolished and this happened right after they filmed the last scene in the place! As with other commentary tracks that he has done his encyclopedic knowledge about the film and HK cinema in general is quite impressive, making for an informative track.

Disc two starts off with "A Baptism of Fire: A Featurette with Iconic Director John Woo." He was a big fan of Steve McQueen in Bullitt and Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry and with Hard Boiled; he wanted to create his own Dirty Harry. Woo wanted to make Chow Yun-Fat like Eastwood's iconic character but with the Asian actor's warm charisma.

"Partner in Crime: An Interview with Producer Terence Chang." He talks about how he met Woo in the late 1970s but that they didn't start working together until ten years later. Chang also talks about the genesis of the film which was originally a psycho who kills baby (?!). Fortunately, after they filmed the teahouse shoot-out, Chang convinced Woo to discard this idea.

"Art Imitates Life: An Interview with co-star Philip Chan," the actor who played Tequila's boss in the film. He was real policeman before getting into film and brought that authenticity to his role. He actually ran a team of undercover cops and speaks admiringly of working with Woo.

"Mad Dog Bites Again: An Interview with Leading Villain Kwok Choi." He talks about working with Woo on the film. Originally, he was hired to only design the action sequences but Chow Yun-Fat recommended him to play the villain's right-hand man.

"Hard Boiled Location Guide": takes us on a fun, fascinating tour of many of the locations from the movie. Some places, like the teahouse (which is now a mall), don't exist anymore and a little historical background is given to some of the places.

Also included are two trailers, the U.S. and Hong Kong versions.

Finally, there is "Stranglehold Video Game Mini-Making Of." This is the John Woo-approved sequel to Hard Boiled that allows you to play Tequila. This extra shows how deeply involved he was in the game's production with Chow Yun-Fat returning to provide the voice for his character!

One of the greatest action films of all time.......2007-07-29

Undoubtedly one of the finest action films ever made, Hard Boiled tops every single slam bang, big budget, mainstream action film you have ever seen. Chow Yun-Fat stars as a super tough cop on the trail of the murderous triad, only to learn that an up and coming triad soldier (Tony Leung) he has his sights set on is an undercover cop who gives the term deep cover new meaning. As loyalties shift and the bullet and body count rise, the two team up and help provide some of the most dynamic and exciting action scenes ever put to film, including a standoff at a hospital that concludes in a barrage of blood, bullets, glass, and incredible carnage. Before he came over to America and helmed watered down mainstream action films like Broken Arrow, Mission: Impossible 2, and Paycheck (personally, the only film of his I've liked that he's made over here is Face/Off), John Woo crafted the amazing action scenes that you've heard so much about with this film. This double disc Ultimate Edition released under the Weinstein Company's Dragon Dynasty label features a nice selection of extras (yet no commentary from Woo or Chow Yun-Fat) including an examination of how much Hard Boiled has influenced the action genre over the years. To this day Hard Boiled remains a masterpiece, and if you're an action junkie who has never seen the film before, you need to pick this up immediately.

Nice enough release of this Hong Kong classic........2007-07-25

Forget the reviewer claiming that they cropped the picture and then stretched it back out. He probably doesn't know how to work his wide screen TV or hasn't set his DVD player to enhance anamorphic DVD's. Cropped and stretched? What a silly notion. And as for the subtitles, they seem to be pretty much the same as the Criterion version which wasn't bad, but not anamorphic. Unless you speak fluent Cantonese, how in the hell could you ever know which version was the most accurate? This release has the best transfer of the film to date, and I've owned four copies of it including this Dragon Dynasty edition. The colors are rich and the the images are sharp. This is the best version for your money, unless you want to wait for the Blu-Ray edition. I hate it!!!

Predator (Widescreen Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Classic
There's only one man who can take on Predator: The Govonator
Just as good tweny years later.
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
One of the Best Movies Ever Made!

Predator (Widescreen Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Carl Weathers , Elpidia Carrillo , Bill Duke , and Jesse Ventura
Director: John McTiernan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000244EMO
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Amazon.com essential video

Rambo meets Alien in this terrific science-fiction thriller from 1987, directed by John McTiernan just a year before Die Hard made him Hollywood's most sought-after director of action-packed blockbusters. Arnold Schwarzenegger leads an elite squad of U.S. Army commandos to a remote region of South American jungle, where they've been assigned to search for South American officials who've been kidnapped by terrorists. Instead they find a bunch of skinned corpses hanging from the trees and realize that they're now facing a mysterious and much deadlier threat. As the squad is picked off one by one, Arnold finds himself pitted against a hideous alien creature that's heavily armed and wearing a spacesuit enabling the creature to render itself invisible. The title says it all in describing the relentless, escalating action that follows, maintained by McTiernan with an abundance of visual flair. The film's special effects are still impressive, and stunning locations in the Mexican jungles create a combined atmosphere of verdant beauty and imminent danger. The plot doesn't hold up to much scrutiny, but the movie's so exciting and tightly paced that its weaknesses seem irrelevant. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The ultimate hunter meets the ultimate adversary?in the ultimate Collector?s Edition DVD! Arnold Schwarzenegger wages an all-out war against an unseen enemy, a force more powerful and deadly than any on Earth?because the Predator is not of this Earth. Now, you can explore the depths of the Predator jungle with this all-new 2-disc set packed with over 5 hours of out-of-this-world extras, including an in-depth documentary, director?s commentary, never-before-seen bonus footage, revealing featurettes and more!

Customer Reviews:

Classic.......2007-09-17

One of the most memorable aliens of the 80's, or for the past 3 decades for that matter, is the one in Predator. The reason is obvious. It's ugly and it hunts humans for fun in the jungle. Unique plot, superb fighting scenes, sheer brutality, and all the testorone one hopes to see in this type of flick.

There's only one man who can take on Predator: The Govonator.......2007-09-07

We, Sid the Elf, wanted a real nice B to kick the weekend off perfectly, so we picked up Predator. Well, Sid was stunned. Predator was a perfectly done action flick. Don't take us wrong, anytime Arnold is teamed with Jesse the body Ventura, Apollo Creed, and the immortal Chink Webber from Lockup the B will be flowing like wine. There was an ample ammount of explosions, totally awsome guns, and the toughest lines around.(We're not even going to mention anymore that anytime Arnold talks the possibility for hillarity is there) With that said, Predator was the perfect guy movie, the only thing that was missing was smokin hot chicks. Yeah awsome. But, we found ourselves saying no less than 10 times during the screening, "This movie is killer!" or something comperable.

So, Sid would have to say, if you're looking for a B action to laugh at stay away from Predator. However, if you want to get totally pumped and watch an all-time killer action flick, Predator is your Vehicle baby.

Just as good tweny years later........2007-09-05

After twenty years this is still one of the quintessential action movies. Better than it's sequel and far, far superior to AVP. I place it right next to Aliens as one of the best sci-fi movies ever. With few exceptions the FX are on par with those seen in today's films. The casting is nearly flawless, I not talking about great actors here, what I mean is they are perfectly cast in these roles. Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Sonny Landham really make you believe in these guys. Sure they're over the top and comic book like with bulging muscles but the way they are portrayed makes you actually give a damn about what happens to them. Even thought Arnold wins in the end it costs him his entire team to achieve victory, if you can call it that.

The DVD itself has a lot of great behind the scenes stuff. The transfer of the movie could have been better but it is twenty years old so I can't expect it to look perfect. Great film.

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-24

Something lurks in the dense jungle. Something horrible and cruel, a creature from beyond our world. His name is Arnold Schwarzenegger. He lurks next to another unspeakable creature named Jesse Ventura. And another, goes by the handle Carl Weathers. Who himself lurks next to a monstrous slab of flesh known as Bill Duke. Together, they face down a creature who, quite understandably, hunts them for their skulls, hoping to fetch a fair price for them at the many Open Skull Markets that dot the galaxy. (If you haven't been to one, you must go. Take the kids, because the markets are very family friendly and they have these great Hawaiian Ice stands. And, of course, there's the skulls.)

Predator unseals a whole tin of whoop-bottom, trotting out cliches like so many, well, like so many boiled human skulls at the terrific Open Skull Market on Nespus VIII (honestly, I know I sound like I'm raving, but it really is just a great way to spend a Saturday, and it's fairly reasonable, too.)

Finally, a good use for your Predator DVD that isn't "propping up that one corner of the entertainment stand, the one whose castor you snapped off when you were moving out of that place on Spring Street because you just couldn't hack sharing a place with Beezer anymore, on account of his socks."

One of the Best Movies Ever Made!.......2007-08-20

Almost everyone has seen or herd of the movie Predator, and if you haven't then you must be living under a rock. This movie is assume, I watch like every time it is ever on TV! A must have for any Arnold Schwarzenegger fan! Get this two disc collectors edition!

Average customer rating:

Professionalism, teamwork, training, serious tone make for a pleasant surprise
Great memories
Nostalgia at its best....
great
Can't wait for Season Two

S.W.A.T. - The Complete First Season
Starring: Michael Harland , and David Adams
Director: Harry Falk , Dick Moder , Phil Bondelli , Bernard McEveety (II) , and Richard Benedict
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008YLVB
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Amazon.com

Tough but not swaggering, serious but not solemn, S.W.A.T. won over its 1970s television audience with several unexpectedly interesting elements: A degree of storytelling sophistication; visually exciting, guerrilla-like street violence; and a subtle but determined fascination with the psyches of the show's five principal characters. To a non-viewer, S.W.A.T. looked like a fatuously reassuring, law-and-order shill in the aftermath of the Vietnam war and Watergate. In reality, creator-producer Robert Hammer (a Peabody Award winner for the 1979 POW TV drama, When Hell Was in Session) managed to make an ideal, mid-'70s Aaron Spelling cop show with an extra emphasis on the human factor in peacekeeping.

Spun off from an earlier Spelling series, The Rookies, S.W.A.T. was the story of Special Weapons and Tactics, an elite branch of the Los Angeles Police Department assigned the most critical cases of urban violence in an American era of cult terrorism, snipers, assassinations, traumatized war veterans, and organized crime. Considering what the S.W.A.T. team is up against in every episode--shooters with sophisticated weaponry, psychotic revolutionaries, vulnerable takeover targets (nuclear reactors, etc.)--one might have expected the show to be swallowed up in gadgetry and fancy police protocol for extreme emergencies. But from the pilot (technically, a two-hour Rookies episode not included in this set) on, S.W.A.T. was clearly much more interested in the way team leader Lieutenant Dan "Hondo" Harrelson (Steve Forrest), Sergeant David "Deacon" Kay (Rod Perry), and officers Street (Robert Urich), Luca (Mark Shera), and McCabe (James Coleman) tried to understand the modern world even while keeping its meanest tendencies in check.

Inventive stories with occasional twists and appealing guest stars (James Keach, Cameron Mitchell, Annette O'Toole) keep one glued to the 13 episodes contained here. Among the best: "A Coven of Killers," starring Sal Mineo as a Charles Manson-like monster; "Jungle War," featuring Mitchell as a career cop and war vet facing an emotional breakdown; and "The Bravo Enigma," an apocalyptic tale of a curiously likable hit man (Christopher George) unknowingly spreading a plague through L.A. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Professionalism, teamwork, training, serious tone make for a pleasant surprise.......2007-06-29

I grew up during the 1970s, watching a lot of TV crime shows, but never caught an episode of S.W.A.T. Apparently, it ran for only one calendar year, spanning two TV seasons. I ended up with the Season 1 DVDs by accident and only recently watched them. I was very pleasantly surprised. This was no silly, insubstantial Starsky & Hutch, another show I had not seen until recently but had a very different reaction to.

I do not remember seeing Steve Forrest in other shows or liking what I did see. He made a believer out of me in his role on S.W.A.T. He does a terrific job as the strong, smart, dedicated, professional leader of the team. Rod Perry is also a stand-out. As Forrest's highly skilled, trusted right-hand man, Perry has great chemistry with Forrest and is very good at playing both light and serious scenes (though the twang in how he says his boss's nickname "Hondo" can be distracting; and where does the nickname come from? The bare-bones disk set, which does not even have chapter breaks within each episode, omits the pilot episode). James Coleman conveys quiet strength and expertise as the team's sniper.

The professionalism, training, equipment, teamwork, and seriousness with which the men approach their work, reinforced by the dramatic opening and powerful theme music, capture the imagination. In the show, the police engage in training exercises, test new machinery, are pro-active (as when an armored car is stolen and the team immediately begins trying to figure out how and where it might be used), and outsmart and out-maneuver, as well as out-gun, the villains. The show uses the technique of featuring multiple crimes in one episode, which is also used to good effect in all of the various CSI series. Somewhat like "Old West" feel of The A-Team, there is real fun and interest in seeing S.W.A.T. go up against the bad guys, who usually have skills and elaborate plans of their own.

Showing a specially skilled S.W.A.T. team gave Aaron Spelling and people behind the series a standard of quality they had to aim for, which was good discipline and pushed them to more serious work. Spelling should have embraced this, rather than reportedly disowning the show, preferring pure fluff programming. The best episode in the 13-show set is probably the one in which the team protects a mobster turned government witness in the hospital. Both the police and the criminals are smart, there is suspense and a twist, and Mark Shera shines, with an opportunity to show feeling in serious, well-crafted scenes. The episodes about a jewelry theft from a beauty pageant and a coin heist are also above-average.

It is easy to criticize the show. Of course, there are repetitious gun-rack-emptying, running, and driving scenes when a call comes in and the team has to "roll." But routine and procedure are part of police work.

Setting the series in the fictional "WCPD" does not help authenticity. The plain, baggy, baseball-style caps that the men wore may be authentic, but it does not help the dramatic effect of the opening freeze-frame shots to have Mark Shera's and Robert Urich's deadly serious but small-looking faces peeking out from under the caps like mice. Sometimes the series and Shera seem to be trying too hard to show off his character as the team clown. Urich is completely wasted by the series, coming off as wooden, self-conscious, forced, and extraneous. Rose Marie's appearances as a hawker of cheap pastries and sandwiches at the police station, obviously meant to provide some color and humor, can get tiresome.

The dialogue and interactions can be stiff and the characters and stories shallow. This is often true of scenes with Forrest at home with the wife and kids and of the story-lines with "personal" angles. Like Hawaii Five-O, S.W.A.T., at its best, is proof of a basic point. If a show is done professionally, it can be entertaining to watch the characters for what they do on the job, which is how the public and peers see them in real life, and there is no need to constantly delve into personal subplots.

Two shows are particularly disappointing. In "Time Bomb" (included in the disk set as a first season episode but according to episode guides not aired until the second season), the criminal's plan never gets off the ground and much time is wasted on chase scenes around a movie studio backlot. In "Blind Man's Bluff," Forrest is wounded in an unconvincing, sloppy way; he responds unprofessionally and out of character; his replacement appears once, in one exaggerated, talky scene as a jerk, and is never seen in action; the role of the rest of the team is weak; and little goes on during the episode.

Although the team responded to some interesting individual incidents, the episode in which a reporter was following the team around did not make much of that plot line. The episode in which S.W.A.T. tracked an international hit man (played with gusto by Christopher George) suffered from the distracting complication that he was infected with a deadly disease and from an anticlimactic end confrontation. Also, too often, as when a basketball team is taken hostage, the crooks put themselves in a box with little realistic plan of escape, making themselves too easy pickings and not enough of a challenge for S.W.A.T. Regardless of these and other possible complaints, it is still fun and interesting to see how the team sizes up and responds to each situation, with Hondo barking out orders and the men expertly deploying their skills, weapons, and tactics to solve the particular high-stakes problem.

Overall, the shows in the DVD set are good entertainment. As to the hatchet-job review that boasted "non-fan, fresh eyes," as though it was entitled to some special weight just for not having seen the show when it originally aired (neither did I), all it had to offer were stale, obvious, superficial criticisms and inapt comparisons to other shows, without any attempt to appreciate what S.W.A.T. does well. (What could be easier than ridiculing the show for featuring a "Charles Manson type" as the villain one week, as though it was supposed to be taken seriously as the real thing, and with no mention of Sal Mineo's live-wire performance?) Another review that trashed the series sounded like canned comments written without even watching the show. For example, the review announced self-importantly, without any explanation or support, that the series showed no regard for police procedure and, except for "one time," always shot first and asked questions later. This is absurd; time and again, the episodes showed far more understatement, skill, intelligence, and discipline in response to a crisis than I had expected.

If you watch the show for yourself, you will find that it had something special. Even if, as some say, the quality declined in the second season, I hope some day (soon?) myself to be able to see the rest of the episodes of the series.

Great memories.......2007-06-13

Oh boy. Happy memories. Did this take me back! The 1970s was a fine era when it came to classic TV shows, and this was one of my favourites as a teenager. The memorable theme music by Rhythm Heritage was also a big hit on the charts, and to this day I still have the two original Rhythm Heritage LPs I purchased - 'Discofied' and 'Last Night On Earth', in my collection. One of these LPs had the SWAT theme on it.
I remember the friendly rivalry between my best friend and I at the time as to who was the better looking, Robert Urich or Mark Shera (and of course we had the obligatory pin-ups on our walls). We never did agree on that subject!! Robert for her, Mark for me. So sad to hear Bob had passed away.
Thanks guys for the great memories!!

Nostalgia at its best...........2007-04-05

Cant wait for the entire second season to come out! The series is well done (acting, storyline and casting). Brings back many childhood memories and is there any theme music that is cooler....? Great addition to my collection. If you dont have it...get it.

great.......2007-01-10

I am a great fun of everything that was on air in the 70ies and SWAT is one of my favourite. I really hope the other seasons will appear soon.
It's well done and even with few special effects involved the public in all the stories of the great 5 cops.

Can't wait for Season Two.......2006-12-17

Brought back so many memories of watching this show when it was on air. Fantastic gift with no commercials!!!

Average customer rating:

Great action
20th Century Movie with 1980 Score !!
Good Cast-Good Action
:0)
One of those movies you either love or hate -- I enjoyed it.

S.W.A.T. (Widescreen Special Edition)
Starring: Jay Acovone , Mario Aguilar Jr. , Denis Arndt , Reg E. Cathey , and Josh Charles
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008EYA5
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Amazon.com

Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Farrell swagger through S.W.A.T., a guns-and-big-trucks macho extravaganza based on the 1970s TV show of the same name, about the police teams brought in to take care of extremely dangerous situations. Jackson plays a sergeant brought out of retirement to form a new squad, which includes rebellious Farrell (The Recruit) and tough babe Michelle Rodriguez (Girlfight, Blue Crush). After a lot of training and head-butting with a smarmy police captain, the squad gets assigned to transfer the head of a European crime cartel (Olivier Martinez, Unfaithful) who's declared on television that he'll give $100 million to anyone who gets him out. Every scumbag in Los Angeles descends to claim the money, turning a routine transfer into a bullet-filled gauntlet. Despite some gaps in logic and a generic flavor, S.W.A.T. will satisfy most action-movie junkies. Also featuring LL Cool J and Josh Charles. --Bret Fetzer

Description

An arrested drug kingpin is transported by a Los Angeles Police Department S.W.A.T. team, led by Jackson's character, out of the city and into federal custody. Plans go awry when the kingpin offers $100 million to anyone who can free him. Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, LL Cool J, Oliver Martinez.

Customer Reviews:

Great action.......2007-08-24

Great action movie, however I found the story a little hard to believe.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

20th Century Movie with 1980 Score !!.......2007-05-18

Overall good film... Well acted ,good plot.. but taken aback by the fact that the film's Producers allowed a "1980s made for TV film score" to go with this masterpiece, Bad Judgement, Why ??,

Good Cast-Good Action.......2007-04-22

SWAT is a good, not a great action movie. The opening scene is a take on a real life bank robbery, in which the robbers wore body armour and fired fully automatic assualt rifles. This is probably the most intense scene in the film. The rest of the film is pretty much Hollywood fare, with a predictable storyline and character profiles, examples: good cop(s) turn bad, evil drug lord, tough female cop etc. etc. etc. Samuel L. Jackson gives a credible performance as the leader of the SWAT team. Colin Farrell as the hotshot member leaves no memorable screentime. The film attempted to forge a middle ground between reality and super heroism, but remained as neither.

:0).......2007-01-07

I liked it.. it was an entertaining movie and very watchable..love the actors and their chemistery on screen a good movie for your collection..

One of those movies you either love or hate -- I enjoyed it........2006-04-10

I saw this movie on t.v. for the first time a few days ago and now I'm buying the DVD. I'm not a big fan of action movies but I do watch them now and again. I've read quite a few negative reviews about this film and I think they are undeserved. When I saw it I thought it was good, not Diehard good, but it held its own. I really enjoyed it. I really liked the idea that they included a female member of SWAT. One never sees a woman SWAT member. It looks like this is one of those movies you either love, like, or hate. One has to make up one's own mind.

Average customer rating:

Classic
There's only one man who can take on Predator: The Govonator
Just as good tweny years later.
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
One of the Best Movies Ever Made!

Predator (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Carl Weathers , Elpidia Carrillo , Bill Duke , and Jesse Ventura
Director: John McTiernan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005221L
Release Date: 2000-12-26

Amazon.com essential video

Description

The ultimate hunter meets the ultimate adversary…in the ultimate Collector's Edition DVD! Arnold Schwarzenegger wages an all-out war against an unseen enemy, a force more powerful and deadly than any on Earth—because the Predator is not of this Earth. Now, you can explore the depths of the Predator jungle with this all-new 2-disc set packed with over 5 hours of out-of-this-world extras, including an in-depth documentary, director's commentary, never-before-seen bonus footage, revealing featurettes and more!

Customer Reviews:

Classic.......2007-09-17

There's only one man who can take on Predator: The Govonator.......2007-09-07

Just as good tweny years later........2007-09-05

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-24

One of the Best Movies Ever Made!.......2007-08-20

Average customer rating:

"Whelmed" by this Blu-ray disc
Don't SWAT this Blu-Ray

S.W.A.T. [Blu-ray]
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson , and Colin Farrell
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000F9RB94
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Customer Reviews:

"Whelmed" by this Blu-ray disc.......2007-07-09

For starters, I will assume that anyone reading this has seen the movie and thus I will not spend time talking about what a fun (if a little bit campy) action flick this is.

Out of the dozen or so Blu-ray movies I've seen so far, this was the least impressive. I'm avoiding using words like "disappointing" because it isn't--the picture quality is amazing. The lossless audio track, however, left something to be desired. It just didn't impress the way tracks from movies like "Pirates of the Caribbean" or "The Patriot" do.

Also--and this could just be old age setting in--but I could swear there's some missing scenes from the theatrical version. The Bonus Features on this disc are impressively packed, with many deleted scenes and other extras. I could be wrong, so I won't count against it in the review, but it seems shorter than it should be.

That said, if you are a Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Rodriguez or Colin Ferrell fan, this is a great flick to own. It's unfortunate that L.L. didn't have more screen time as his performances are always over-the-top in an entertaining way. My advice? Wait for a good sale on this one and snap it up. It'll make a great addition to your Blu library.

Don't SWAT this Blu-Ray.......2007-01-04

SWAT has some awesome video shots in 1080p. The audio is bold.

The movie is non stop action.

I have 3 Sony Blu-ray units displaying on a Sony 1080p LCD, a Pioneer 1080p Plasma & a Sony 1080p projection unit. The video is awesome on all three.

The Greatest '70s Cop Shows (Charlie's Angels / Starsky and Hutch / S.W.A.T. / Police Woman / The Rookies)

Average customer rating:

A Starsky and Hutch Fan
3 stars if you didn't grow up with these shows
Maybe!
OH.....JUST SHOOT ME!!
More Angie, please...!

The Greatest '70s Cop Shows (Charlie's Angels / Starsky and Hutch / S.W.A.T. / Police Woman / The Rookies)
Director: Ronald Austin , Allen Baron , Richard Benedict , John D.F. Black , and Cliff Bole
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000F6RL
Release Date: 2003-05-06

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It may sound like a gimmick--The Greatest '70s Cop Shows is a compilation of first episodes from Starsky and Hutch, Police Woman, S.W.A.T., The Rookies, and Charlie's Angels--but this DVD anthology really opens one's eyes to the look and feel of dramatic television during the so-called Me Decade. Except for Angels, which never wavered from its self-mocking, glossy action/stiff exposition playbook, these cop-program debuts (four of them from Aaron Spelling) import much of their fluid camera movement, multiple points-of-view, and dynamic, often wordless storytelling from the era's rough-and-tumble action movies (e.g., The French Connection). Which is to say these shows may be dumb but not necessarily cheesy (except Angels' post-modern cheese). There is a lot to admire about the opening ambush in S.W.A.T.'s "The Killing Ground," the hard-boiled camaraderie of Police Woman's "The End Game," and especially the reckless physicality and ironic jokes of Starsky and Hutch's "Savage Sunday." --Tom Keogh

Description

The definitive collection of your favorite '70s cop shows is finally here! See how all the action started with this collection of the first episodes of Charlie's Angels, Starsky and Hutch, S.W.A.T., The Rookies and Police Woman!

Customer Reviews:

A Starsky and Hutch Fan.......2004-12-06

I love the fact that they are putting out DVD's like this I grew up with all these shows and I love all of them and seeing David Soul (Hutch from Starsky and Hutch, He is Hot !!!!) in it is a plus also !!!!! Starsky and Hutch was my favorite show as a kid and I still love watching it. It is worth the money to buy it with all 5 shows they were some of the best shows on TV in the 70's.

3 stars if you didn't grow up with these shows.......2004-10-25

I was a child of the 70s and remembered these shows fondly. I took them VERY seriously at the time. Now they are instant nostalgia and a hoot. I love the bland studio bars and apartments, the lack of much blood after some serious gun fights, the friendly neo-fascist cops who do their duty & then go party. These are the "first" episodes of each show but that is misleading. Most started as 2 hour movies of the week. These are the first of the on going episodes but in most cases the viewer's second helping.

The Rookies-the most social conscious of the group. The street wise cop who grew up in the 'hood with the very naive suburban kid. Nice sentiments here about getting through to gang members excpet that these guys are psuhing 40 when they should be teens & the slum is obviously a Hollywood backlot with lots of newspapers thrown all over it.

Police Woman-good drama, Angie does some nice touches. The show isn't just about her though, a whole unit so it's kinda misleading. That hippuie undercover has on of the oddest faces to grace a TV screen. And I loved the casual traffic driving past a desperate shoot out early on.

SWAT-Now this felt like a pilot. Like most of SWAT's villains, total psychos. Although no one mentions it, they are sniffing alot during the episode so grown up viewers will know that they are all coked up.

Starsky & Hutch-lame plot but good commadarie. Watch for a sexy cameo but Suzanne Sommers. This show was a little more into innuendo but then came...

Charlie's Angels-not a cop show! This one actually isz the first time we'd seen the Angels. Not bad but the whole Doyle as a preacher bit was grating. I remeber them calling this a "jiggle show" but note the lack of the extra large busts we've come to expect nowadays.

I wish they'd have released the "best" ep of each show rather than the "first", now that would be a 5 star DVD!

Maybe!.......2004-09-27

I captioned this as maybe , because I Love everyone of these shows , and the individual programs chosen for this Collection , but having purchased this , and having watched it . It is great for those last two reason , but let me tell you were the problem lies . Copying these from whatever , or however , from the very first show on the collection you run into the problem that the sound does not match the picure . The words are heard bfore the Lips even move . Now this is regular on the Charlie's Angels show , and sparadically on the others , but I still enjoyed the Collection Purchase very much .

OH.....JUST SHOOT ME!!.......2004-06-03

It was just GREAT having the chance to own this DVD ! I am a big fan of America's Cop Shows and this item was really a "must -have".I just wish they could release more episodes of "The Police Woman" and "The Rookies" ( with Kate Jackson!!!), which are very interesting and which I had never watched before due to they had never been aired here in Brazil."The Angels" are "foxy" as always and you also get a chance to watch "Starski & Hutch" in the same package.

More Angie, please...!.......2004-01-30

"Starsky & Hutch" were entertainingly silly for a couple of years, as were "Charlie's Angels", and "The Rookies" looks earnest but dated and tad naive. "SWAT" is essentially a shoot-em-up with few characters you get to know at all.

Interestingly, the one out of the five (and the one NOT produced by Aaron Spelling) that is easliy the most legitimate cop drama is "Police Woman" with Angie Dickinson--- it feels like a damn movie... something the other four certainly do not.

Funny how memories have written-off this series as a single, older version of a Charlie's Angel who still has her badge but does nothing else but turn "tricks", when, in fact, "Police Woman" seems to be the most sophisticated of the lot; it's aged beautifully.

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Description

Customer Reviews:

Great action.......2007-08-24

Great action movie, however I found the story a little hard to believe.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

20th Century Movie with 1980 Score !!.......2007-05-18

Overall good film... Well acted ,good plot.. but taken aback by the fact that the film's Producers allowed a "1980s made for TV film score" to go with this masterpiece, Bad Judgement, Why ??,

Good Cast-Good Action.......2007-04-22

:0).......2007-01-07

I liked it.. it was an entertaining movie and very watchable..love the actors and their chemistery on screen a good movie for your collection..

One of those movies you either love or hate -- I enjoyed it........2006-04-10

Average customer rating:

Wouldn't be suprised if people died making this!?!?
Dragon Dynasty's release of Born to Fight (2004)
Please note their are two versions of this film available
One of the best!
One of the worst movies I've ever seen

Born to Fight
Starring: Nappon Gomarachun , Santisuk Promsiri , Dan Chupong , Piyapong Piew-on , and Somrak Khamsing
Director: Panna Rittikrai
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000K2V7DW
Release Date: 2007-04-24

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Packed with bone-crunching action and death-defying stunts, Born to Fight is another awesome extravaganza from the Thai action masters who created the worldwide hits Ong-Bak and The Protector. While those two previous films were dazzling showcases for Thai action superstar Tony Jaa, Born to Fight shines the spotlight on Dan Chupong, earning top billing after studying Thai martial arts with Jaa and director Panna Rittikrai, the veteran Thai stunt-master who mentored both Jaa and Chupong to stardom. Under Rittikrai's no-holds-barred direction, Chupong plays Deaw, an elite undercover cop who takes a break after the costly arrest of a drug-cartel kingpin to attend a charity event with his sister Nui (Tae Kwon Do champion Kessarin Ektawatkul) in a remote, impoverished village. When the entire village is held hostage by a siege of terrorists with a nuclear missile aimed at Bangkok, Deaw unites the village in a bold act of defiance, and Born to Fight's simple plot kicks into overdrive with some of the most astonishing and genuinely life-threatening stunts ever filmed. And while Born to Fight was not a hit when released in Thailand in 2004 (and only later gained an international audience), the amazing cast offers an abundance of charisma and skill to compensate for the overly familiar plot.

The patriotic retaliation against terrorists includes combatants of all ages and abilities, from the fiercely compact Sasisa Jindamanee (junior champion of Thai kick boxing) to an elderly man and even a one-legged villager who does his part for king and country. And consider this lineup of diversely skilled performers: Nantaway Wongwanichislip (Asian champion rugby player); Piyapong Piew-On (Thai football superstar); Rattaporn Khemthong (Thai gymnastic team star); Suebsak Pansueb (from the Thai Sepak Takraw team); and Amornthep Waewsang and Somrak Khamsing (Olympic gold medalists in gymnastics and boxing, respectively). As a squadron of fearless daredevils, this remarkable cast employs every imaginable technique to conquer their captors. With an opening action sequence that must be seen to be believed, Born to Fight may be far-fetched at times, but the stunts are so insanely impressive that they make this a must-see film for action fans around the world. Only one question remains: Can anyone top this film without getting killed in the process? --Jeff Shannon

On the DVDs
Dragon Dynasty has done a terrific job with its two-disc Ultimate Edition of Born to Fight. Disc 1 features the film itself, beautifully presented in Thai with an optional English-dubbed soundtrack and optional English and Spanish subtitles. Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan provides the feature-length commentary, offering humorous observations and insight about Thai action cinema and its gradual evolution toward a national identity, distinct from the influence of Hong Kong action thrillers. Disc 2 includes a 65-minute "making of" documentary, featuring extensive interviews with the producer, director, and principal cast of Born to Fight, and a shorter, 5-minute featurette promoting the film's diverse cast of athletically skilled performers. The film's original Thai theatrical trailer and U.S. promotional trailer are also included. --Jeff Shannon

Description

(Action) Daew is a cop who has nailed the evil gunrunner General Yang, but his partner is killed in this case and Daew becomes depressed. To cheer him up, his sister invites him to join her and some friends at a small village to give food and toys to the villagers. What starts out as a trip to help people turns into a nightmare when Yang's men arrive at the village and take over, demanding the release of Yang or a nuclear missile will hit Bangkok. It's up to Daew and friends to stop them before it's too late.

Customer Reviews:

Wouldn't be suprised if people died making this!?!?.......2007-09-08

The stunts really are that gonzo in this! During the incredible opening sequence, that involves a brawl on the top of 2 parallel moving tractor trailers, a goon gets knocked down between them and his head looks literally INCHES from being crushed by a tire! I had to watch this scene 5 or 6 times alone. If the idea of a group of madmen (who you know aren't paid squat!)sacrificing life and limb for some of the most incredible stunts sounds like it would be up your alley then this is a must see! However, if the usual stuff like plot, dialogue, believability, character development, etc., is what you are more interested in then you may want to pass. Dan Chupong is solid as the lead, not so much in the acting department, but he can definately fight. He looks and fights similair to Tony Jaa (he's been Jaa's stunt double I think) but isn't quite up to his level of charisma or skill... but how many these days are?! As far as martial arts goes there isn't a ton but what is here is quality stuff for the most part... although some of the other athletes fight scenes were groan worthy (if the character played soccer for instance he would fight by kicking random things at the vilians?!). The movie is probably closer to a 3 star rating but I enjoyed it so much I had to give it the extra star (plus the STUNTS!). Filmed by the same crew that brought us both Ong Bak and The Protector, the camera work is stylish and exciting and the entire film is really polished and feels like it has a far bigger budget than it does. If you like Jackie Chan's stunt heavy films or even the usual American action blockbusters (whose plots are normally worse than this anyways) make sure and catch this.

Dragon Dynasty's release of Born to Fight (2004).......2007-06-08

Dan Chupong stars as a cop who goes with his sister to a charity event that is supported by Thai Olympic athletes. His sister is a Taekwondo champion and many other real life Olympic champions are at the charity as well. When an evil army takes over the town where the charity is being held, the athletes must help the village fight the terrorists.

The action is mostly stunts. All real stunts, though they do slip in a bit of C.G.I. There is the occasional fight, but it is all about the stunts in this movie. There are scenes where guys go flying through the air doing multiple flips and end with crashing into a burning frame of a building! Words can't really describe how amazing the stunts are, it is just something you have to see for yourself. And don't think that there are just 1 or 2 action stars in the movie. ALL of the actors can do their own stunts. The people who fight in the movie range anywhere from age 8 to 80. There is even a one-legged guy who gets to show off his skills! You also have the scene where they fight with real firelogs. Not a firelog hitting someone in the head once and then a cut, but long, extended takes of actors hitting eachother over and over again with real thick firelogs and embers flying in everyone's eyes. It would take a review literally 20 times longer than this to go over all the incredible things that happen in this movie. It is your average direct to TV action movie, but with some of the greatest stunts ever filmed. If you are a fan of the ultra low budget films that Panna made in the 80's and 90's, you will be happy to see what he can do with an almost limitless budget.

3.5/5

Picture quality and sound are perfect. English dub included if you don't like subtitles.

The only special features are a commentary from Bey Logan, a 5 minute look behind the scenes, and a great 65 minute documentary on the making of the film. Nothing like Dragon Dynasty's release of The Protector (Two-Disc Collector's Edition), but still very informative.

I will end this review with some of Prachya Pinkaew's thoughts on Hollywood action cinema compared to Thai.

"I think if we're going to use lots of techniques like Hollywood, or use lots of money or lots of C.G., we won't be able compete with them. The only way we could compete with them is in terms of our body, our skills, and our heart. We put these 3 things together. I used to tell our crews that we lose the battle before we even start. The only thing we could use to compete with them are our lives, meaning you have to trade your life for the movie. It might sound a bit too much, but it means you have to sell your skills, your confidence. You have to risk your life. What you get in return is a certain uniqueness, which looks most dangerous. We'll remain unique for a very long time."

Please note their are two versions of this film available.......2007-05-31

Please note, that there are two versions of this film available. There is the 1986 born to fight, and the 2004 remake (by ironically the same director). The 1986 version contains a special feature Tony Jaa talking about why he liked the movie and how it influenced him, as well as a spoof of ong bak, with the 1986 film. The 2004 is a more lean and mean movie, released by Dragon Dynasty, with different special features. Make sure you know what you're getting before you pruchase it.

With the 2004 version, I will review. I thought the action sequences were amazing. I'm always shocked the lengths someone will go for a stunt. This, like Ong Bak, is showing a growing trend among loosing the unreality and CG in favor of more real action. The trouble is the plot is rather bland, and goes no where. However, if you liked the protector, and could get past the "where's my elephant?" storyline, then this shouldn't phase you too much. Also, Tony Jaa is sorley missing from this movie. He is great at action, but has a bit of charisma and acting talent, which is also lacking from this movie. But I digress. It is entertaining and I recomend it.

One of the best!.......2007-05-28

Hands down one of the best action/martial arts movies ever! The action sequences are brilliantly done. Like all martial arts movies, it has those cheesy moments that you have come to expect. Buy this movie.

One of the worst movies I've ever seen.......2007-05-16

I decided to check out this movie since it was from the creators of "Ong-Bak The Thai Warrior" and "The Protector," both of which starred Tony Jaa. After watching this movie I can understand why Jaa decided to not waste his incredible martial art talents on it.

The movie starts out well enough for an action flick, with two undercover cops busting a drug lord, then proceeds predictably (VERY predictably) along a classic, stereotypical we've-been-down-this-road-before plotline in which a group of terrorists take hostages at random and demand the release of their leader, the aforementioned drug lord. Halfway though the movie, the main character - one of the two cops from the opening scene - urges the other hostages to stand their ground and fight, since the terrorists have already killed about half the hostages, and he believes everyone will die before the day is done. Just then, the radio the terrorists have allowed the hostages to listen to starts playing the Thai national anthem, and the hostages, energized by patriotism, charge at the bad guys.

What ensues next is probably the most ridiculous and embarrassing excuse for a movie climax I have ever seen. When the hostages first charge the terrorists, many are predictably killed by gunfire, but enough of them break through so they manage to swarm the bad guys and proceed to tackle, flatten, beat, kick, bite, and gouge every baddie they can. So far so good, right? Well, it doesn't take long before the movie ditches logic and reason completely. An old villager who's never held a gun before suddenly goes Rambo after grabbing a discarded gun, a man kicks a soccer ball with his eyes CLOSED and miraculously hits a guy 60 feet away, a teenager suddenly turns into a world-class acrobat and dodges bullets, and a baddie armed with an assault rifle gets taken out by a barehanded five-year old girl. If the entire movie had been a tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top comedy, this kind of scene would be appropriate, but the movie's tone leading up to this moment had been so utterly somber and serious that the sudden, random, unexplained change was just too much to swallow. And the worst part was that the movie was still taking itself seriously and expected the audience to do the same. I had to stop watching the movie before all the cheesiness and campiness made me ill. I wonder if the director got bored and wandered off, and they brought in a seven-year old to take over.

Average customer rating:

A Chinese Die Hard
A classic
New Re-Release on the way
THE BEST ACTION MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great action, messy plot...

Hard Boiled
Starring: John Woo , Chow Yun-Fat , Tony Leung Chiu Wai , Teresa Mo , and Philip Chan
Director: John Woo
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00004W458
Release Date: 2000-10-03

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