Warner Home Video

Enter the Dragon proved to be the last film which Bruce Lee fully completed before his death. It was his entry into Hollywood and was a huge international hit, a Hong Kong and Hollywood co-production featuring a mix of talent from both countries, and shot in Hong Kong directed by the American Robert Clouse, who would ultimately go on to direct Game of Death in 1978.

Thankfully, this is a much better film overall than Game of Death was and I think it's a classic. It shows Bruce at his best instead of exploiting him. It really made Bruce Lee and martial arts more widely known in the West. While it wasn't the first international martial arts hit, it still broke new ground. Enter was the first kung-fu film produced by a major Hollywood studio, made in association with Warner Brothers, Golden Harvest and Bruce Lee's own production company.

I really enjoy this film for many reasons, and while there are some brilliant fight scenes which I will discuss in due course, it's hard for me not to think of the James Bond film, Dr. No, as both stories are quite similar, with the criminal on a mysterious island base. Han even has an artificial hand.

Interestingly, Shih Kien spoke no English on set and his dialogue was overdubbed by the actor Keye Luke.

Enter the Dragon has the kind of plot that audiences of the time would recognise with the structure of a Hollywood movie.

Two other competitors on the island side with Bruce Lee - Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly), American fighters on the run from the mob and police.

Sporting a very 70's afro, Jim Kelly (who was a US karate champion) is a good fighter and his scenes are certainly impressive - however it is Bruce Lee himself who is the main attraction in my opinion.

Besides Bruce, the film does feature an impressive cast of Hong Kong stars, including Bolo Yeung as one of Han's guards. Bob Wall (who would later turn up in Game of Death) plays a fighter called O Hara, who fights Bruce at the tournament.

Also watch for appearances by Angela Mao Ying and a very young Sammo Hung, who Bruce faces off against in a tournament bout in the opening scene. It's striking to see how skinny Bruce looks in this scene (he had lost a lot of weight when this scene was shot, actually after the rest of filming was finished) next to Sammo.

The scene in the underground bunker (basically Bruce kicking six shades out of what amounts to almost a whole army of guards by himself) is outstanding, with lightning fast moves - this is a master at work, and our attention is always focused on him. The display of martial arts is terrific. He uses a staff to fight with and - in a brief demonstration, nunchaku again.

I also love the scene where Bruce fights about 100 people in Han's army which is amazing. He is so powerful, and thrilling to watch.

It's actually a real shame that Bruce doesn't fight in the film himself more, but as with his Hong Kong oeuvre, he choreographed all his own fights.

The famous "Hall of Mirrors" fight to the death with Han at the climax, is absolutely fantastic and the filmmakers must have worked very hard on this scene to make sure no equipment was visible. Bruce not only shows he could fight but could also use his brain to outwit an enemy. The mysterious, slightly spooky music and reflections in the mirror build tension.

The music in the film is good, but especially the main theme by Lalo Schifrin, surely one of the iconic themes of cinema. It's a mixture of Lee's familiar fighting yells, and Chinese instruments and then it changes to a funky bassline, maybe showing how the movie itself brings together Asian and Western culture, something that Bruce himself certainly wanted to do through his films.

It is interesting that in this film, as well as being an exciting thriller, Bruce brought gravitas and wanted to educate the audience in some way, by explaining about his philosophy of martial arts and Jeet Kune Do, in a scene with his master, the abbot played by Roy Chiao. This scene was originally missing from the theatrical release but has been restored since 1998.

Annoyingly however, Bruce is dubbed by journalist John Little doing an impersonation which does sound odd to me and definitely stands out.

Bruce did get to see the finished movie before he died, and I'm sure he dubbed the scene, so as to why his real voice wasn't used, sadly I don't know the answer.

There are some good extras on this Blu Ray which were previously on the 2 disc DVD edition of the film - a commentary by producer Paul Heller and writer Michael Allin, documentaries and trailers. The main documentary is called Curse of the Dragon and runs for almost 90 minutes, featuring some interviews with James Coburn, Chuck Norris and Kareem Abdul Jabbar among others, who knew and worked with Bruce.

I recommend not watching the trailers until you've seen the movie. I thought the 1080p transfer was decent, not spectacular but as good as it could be, considering the film is almost 40 years old and quite low budget, with an estimated cost of just $850,000.

Even though the story is a simple one, this is an iconic movie and it's so sad Bruce didn't get to make any more after this one. I'm sure he would have gone on to develop as an actor.

I really enjoyed this film a lot, it is certainly a classic. This picture probably got made in part because of the success of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and, like that film, it is a fantasy that has something for everyone and also a timeless appeal that we recognise even though it was made many years ago. Also like that film, it was a big challenge to make. It used lots of special effects, many of which hadn't been attempted before, such as the flying house in the tornado.

There were several directors on the film - Victor Fleming, George Cukor and King Vidor.
It looks fantastic on Blu Ray with a brilliant restoration (the switch from the sepia tones of Kansas to the Technicolor world of Oz is amazing). I think the use of a sepia tint makes Kansas seem old fashioned and quaint (even for 1939), thus making the jump into colour even more amazing. The original book came from about 1900 so maybe the use of sepia was an artistic choice by the film makers.

There are certainly many things to enjoy in the film, the memorable songs from childhood like We're Off to See the Wizard and Follow the Yellow Brick Road that have been ingrained in pop culture. I knew them from when I was young, but I hadn't seen the film then. The film is so seminal that it's inspired so many parodies and references over the years, in cartoons like Spongebob Squarepants and other films and TV shows, Broadway/West End shows like The Wiz, and Wicked - even a song by Australian folk-group The Seekers in the 1960's.
The Wizard of Oz has fantasy and fun-scary parts too (like the flying monkeys and Wicked Witch of the West).

The most iconic performance and song of all, I think, is when Dorothy sings the song Over the Rainbow to herself after her Aunt Em tells her to "Find yourself a place where you won't get into any trouble!" This is a song of longing, dreams and hope, as Dorothy wishes she were somewhere else more exciting.

Incredibly, this song almost didn't make it in the film because studio head Louis B. Mayer thought "it slows down the picture" and "our star sings it in a barnyard". But the writers including lyricist EY "Yip" Harburg, wanted it to stay. It paid off, as he and Harold Arlen won the Oscar for Over the Rainbow (Best Song).

It's interesting that over the course of the film, I think Dorothy learns to grow up and be more resourceful and stand up for herself. I think Judy Garland gives a very good performance. Her character and performance has a childlike, innocent quality (especially in the earlier stages of the film).

In fact, to make her appear younger than she really was, and not a teenager (she was really 16 at the time of filming), she was made to wear an uncomfortable corset style costume that strapped her down and tore some of her bust tissue.

As she grows braver, she also pours scorn on the Wizard, getting angry with him when she finds out he isn't all he seems....

Being whisked away to Oz itself, a strange land, plays on a child's fear of being in an odd, unfamilliar place and not being able to get back - which shows there is some darkness in the film as well as humour. Bert Lahr's voice as the Lion sounds like a cartoon character to me for some reason. I did really like the part when the Scarecrow tries to quote Pythagoras' theorem after getting a brain - except he applies it to an isosceles triangle instead of a right triangle. Guess he got a faulty brain from the Wizard.

If the film has a moral, I think it shows that maybe you shouldn't take what you have for granted - Dorothy's life in Kansas seemed boring, with dull sepia tones, so she goes away to a fantastic land (in colour) but still misses her home, as she says as the film ends "There's no place like home", because she realises that Kansas was where she really wanted to be all along.

I think the film also teaches that, what you think you may want is always there inside you, you just need to look deep enough. Dorothy always had the power to go home, and the Wizard says that her companions always had a brain, heart and courage - they just didn't know it.

The Blu Ray set has some excellent extras, including lots of trailers, a very interesting 50 minute Making Of documentary, interviews with the surviving Munchkins (sadly, now they have all passed on I believe) and short subjects. One is a cartoon short from 1933 that while interesting, pales in comparison when placed against the much more lavish film. But it was the first screen presentation to show Kansas in black and white, and Oz in colour.

I loved this film, which surprised me! I'm not Guy Richie's biggest fan -actually hated Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels - so was extremely sceptical when I heard that he was directing the new Sherlock Holmes film - but it just goes to show what happens when the story's right and the actors are spot on.

And weren't they just!! Robert Downey Jr was superb! Perfectly cast as Holmes and it was refreshing to see Watson played as more of a clued in & active participant -rather than a fumbling oaf as in previous regenerations - which was down to Jude Law.

In some ways, they've reduced Holmes down to a Victorian version of James Bond - and I should be really incensed at that. But the trouble is they've done such a damn fine job!!! Holmes is ever the enigma -here we see a man who can not function without Watson, and the relationship between the two is so hazy and although it's never stressed or hinted, there's a frisson between the two that is unmistakable (the phrase, like an old married couple, springs to mind.)

The action and fight scenes are well staged and nicely break up the film without being too distracting or erroneous. There are also lots of in-jokes for those people that have actually read some of the books, without being at the expense of those who haven't.

In short, I couldn't find anything about this film that I didn't like. There will be a sequel - one that the arch-fiend Moriatey will no doubt appear in. And I must admit... I can't wait!!

There is something about this film that, for me, defies explanation. The plot is epic and labyrinthine as it follows Mick Travis - yes, that Mick Travis... - in various stages of his life, his various ups and downs to his final enlightenment through a form of shakubuku.
The characters and situations are quite complex with many of the actors play multiple roles. Throughout the film I got the feeling that there was more to the film than what I thought, that there was a layer of meaning that I hadn't quite penetrated. The first time I saw this film I understood the zen-like ending and it had quite an impact on me, and each time I see it I still feel the same way, but not how it linked into the rest of the story.

Now, I think it has more to do with the path to enlightenment that we all must take -from innocence to ruin, to finding ourselves once again...!

Malcolm McDowell is superb as Mick Travis, a multi-layered, multi-faceted character - this is, for me, his best role.

The music plays an important part for me. The soundtrack is by Alan Price, and all the songs are uniformly charming and wonderful -especially the title track.

It's a shame this film isn't more widely recognised - it's a classic for so many reasons, and needs to be seen by more people!!

A masterful film - cinematic sleight of hand. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale star as rival magicians, with a supporting cast including a barely recognisable David Bowie.

Of all the scenes in this film, two images stand out: a snowy hillside covered in top hats and an abandoned warehouse filled with glass cabinets that hide an awful secret which illustrate the lengths that the characters are willing to go to in order to perfect their "illusions".

I was haunted by this film for ages and couldn't put my finger on why it had such an impact on me. I still can't, if I'm honest. It defies my attempts to catagorise it - it's not a thriller, or a drama.. not really. It has aspects of each, but, at a push, I'd say its about the human condition - the darker side of obsession. There is no magic here - the enchantment has been stripped of it's gloss and glamour (there's another scene where Christian Bale manages to make a dove disappear in a cage by squashing both it and the cage!) leaving a murky world where there is no black and white, just a murky grey.

Both Bale and Jackman are superb, and make the film more believable - because if you don't believe in the characters then how can you care for the film, or the story?

This is a film for anyone who likes who-dunnits (because, at heart, that's what this is... in a way) and will reward those people brave enough to dare the Prestige!

A poignant look at the heartbreak following the loss of a child; The haunted streets of Venice provide the perfect backdrop for this moving and unforgettable film.
Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie give beautiful and moving performances as the parents of little Christine, who drowns at the start of the film in a red mac. They move to Venice to escape the pain -the film is filled with tragic ironies like this, and is one of the reasons why I love it so much; it works on so many different levels!- but tragedy seems to follow them as John Baxter (Donald Sutherland) is constantly haunted by images of a small girl running round in a red mac. He's told that all the time he is in Venice he is in danger, but he ignores the warnings until it becomes too late.
This film is an exercise in mood and is so subtle that most of what is happening is just below the surface, barely tangible. The opening scenes of the film are just an example of this - never have I seen such deliberate editing that encapsulates the entire film -and that mirrors so perfectly the sense shattering conclusion.

The question is, can Don't Look Now really be called a horror movie? Yes, it does have a serial killer and there is a death (well, two deaths...) but it's more about the relationship between the Baxters. The horror element is secondary -until the end and then it's inescapable - so it's not a horror film in modern parlance, but I', not sure what category or genre it comfortably sits in.
This film haunted me for weeks and is an emotionally powerful film, as well as being bleakly beautiful -mainly due to it's watery setting. This is a definite must and, to me, really highlights everything that is missing from modern film.

I suppose that for modern audiences there would be little of interest in the Wicker Man to hold their 30 second attention spans. For them the film is ponderously slow, with archaic folksy music, an almost wooden performance by Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee sporting a questionable haircut...

BUT....

If they actually stop and see what the film is about, think about the ramifications, put themselves in Sgt Howie's shoes and understand what is actually happening in the story then they will get swept up in one of the greatest horror films of all time.

Yes, the film is slow - but that's because it has a STORY!!! This is a story that has so much substance to it and deals in subtlety. Yes, I know that term is a dirty word these days, but indulge me.... The Wicker Man rewards those people that appreciate the subtleties and the more you know about folk myths and legends then the quicker you'll pick up on those subtleties and the more impact the final scenes will have. Another fact - this film actually gets better on the second viewing - knowing what actually happens in the end laces the film with a sense of inevitability as you actually start noticing the details; the signs and portents that I alluded to earlier.

Sgt Howie is a straight laced Christian copper (gawd bless-‘um), almost puritanical in his faith - so Edward Woodward's portrayal of him is spot on. And it took an actor of Woodward's capability to be able to play off Howie's subtleties - especially when it came to his pivotal scenes with Christopher Lee.

The folk music is an integral part of the film and adds to the mood (and I happen to really like folk music!!)

This is a film that deserves to be re-released on the cinema so a whole new generation can see what makes a real horror film. Horror is not about what can be seen (The Blair Witch Project proved that), it's all in the mind. The true horror in the Wicker Man is not in the final scene's, it's actually in the realisation that for the whole film Sgt Howie has been a mere pawn in the most deadly game of all.

This is not a film that gives away it's secrets easily; don't expect closure here. The story has roots deeply embedded in our collective psyche, and like I said, the more you know - or even, the more open your mind is - the more you will fall under it's spell.

Oh - Christopher Lee does have a dodgy haircut - but his performance is electrifying and ranks as one of his best roles!