“Alice” is a very thought-provoking fantasy film directed by Woody Allen and starring Mia Farrow. The story is very agreeably diverting and the acting is rather good, particuarly Mia’s role. “Alice” is much like some of Woody’s later, more severe films, even though it still holds a outstanding deal of humor.

The movie worries a rich but unhappy housewife named Alice (Farrow), who lives in Manhattan. She decides to see a Chinese herbalist for back pains, but he tells her the problem is in her head. He prescibes various strange herbs for her with magical properties. The basi one makes her act seductively to an attactive young man named Joe, whom she has a crush on. Shortly thereafter, the two get started having an affair. The second herb makes her invisible at critical moments, so she may spy on humans she’s curious about. Other herbs have other strange effects, including one she burns, which causes the ghost of a former lover of hers to appear, and one which will make any man who takes it fall in love with her.

From her experiments with the herbs, Alice comes to learn much better who she is and what she wants out of life. Although she has the prospect to use the love potion to either make Joe or her husband fall in love with her again, she decides not to use it. Instead, she travels to India, where she meets Mother Theresa.

I have heard a great deal of persons criticize Alice for being racist in the way it depicts Chinese, altho I disagree. The complaint I’ve heard is in regard to a scene in which Alice finds the herbalist in an opium alley.

Mia Farrow

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 08/17/2010 Run time: 89 minutes Rating: Pg

Most helpful client reviews

11 of 11 persons found the following review helpful.
These Boots Were Made For Stalkin’…
By Bindy Sue Frønkünschtein
SEE NO EVIL is an magnificent horror / adventure story movie w/ loads of suspense and mystery! Mia Farrow (Rosemary’s Baby) is Sarah, a blind woman who is staying w/ relatives in the country for a good deal of rest and relaxation. Well, she is rudely interrupted by a local maniac (we only get to see his legs and distinctive cowboy boots) who slaughters her family while she’s out. Sarah returns home, incognizant of the carnage around her. She walks through the big house, right past the dead bodies! Sarah’s blindness works exceedingly well to heighten the tension. Meanwhile, the killer realizes that he’s left something behind and must return to the murder scene in order to recover it. Yep, this is a classic!…

5 of 6 persons found the following review helpful.
Excellent thriller, suspense film
By A
Good old fashion suspense thriller. Keeps you glued to the tube until the very end.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Still a Great Thriller
By J. Redbird
When this movie primary came out, I never dreamed the day would come that I could actually own any movie. It was one of my favored thrillers, and it showcased Mia Farrow’s talent as a severe actor. I had to keep going back to the theater to see it again. There was something actually terrifying when it comes to a helpless blind woman being alone in a house with her dead relatives scattered here and there. The bath scene was the spookiest….What is peculiarly satisfying is the fact that it may still hold it is own as a thriller. It is just down right scary. In spite of the fact that the hairstyles and wardrobe are evidently dated, it gets five stars from me for a movie worth owning and looking at again and again.

See all 18 client reviews…

“All my life I’ve been a symbol – a symbol of immortal change. I’m tired of being a symbol – I long to be a humane being.”

Greta Garbo in Queen Christina

Greta Garbo (1905-1990) is arguably one of the biggest actresses in film history. Greta Lovisa Gustafsson of Stockholm, Sweden had long held, and often times talked about, her ambition to be an actress.

Her primary film appearances were in two short advert films; one for a section store where she worked as a millinery apprentice, and the second for a local bakery. These film ads were followed by a handful of extra roles in minor Swedish silent films. 1922 brought Greta her initial chance to appear in a professional film.

Peter the Tramp was a little silent comedy filmed in the style of Max Sennett. Her work in the film was sufficient to support her gain admittance to The Royal Dramatic Theater’s Acting School in Stockholm where she would study for two years.

It was for the duration of this amount of time when she met, and was mentored by, Sweden’s leading film conductor Mauritz Stiller, who gave her the stage name of Greta Garbo and a major role in his 1924 film The Saga of Gosta Berling. It was at this point that complexity entered the life of Greta Gustafsson.

At the time Greta was rather shy, more or less passive with a willingness to be molded, and possessed a sure freshness of appeal. She was the perfective subject for conductor Stiller, who had an imperial ego and fancied himself a cinematic master builder. It was Stiller’s dream to formulate the biggest star of all time – a woman who would personify all women. A woman who could be, “sophisticated, scornful, superior, but under the shining surface humanely warm and womanly.”

MGM producer Louis B. Meyer, while watching The Saga of Gosta Berling for the duration of a visit to Berlin, found himself impressed with the direction of Mauritz Stiller, but even more impressed by the acting and screen presence of Greta Garbo. Meyer negotiated a contract to fetch Stiller to MGM with Stiller insisting that Garbo also be offered a contract.

The Hollywood arrival of the two Swedish film celebrities induced no special excitement and MGM was not sure of just what to do with them. Director Stiller never finished a film for MGM and even though directing a couple of pictures for rival studios, had no success and finally returned to Sweden.

The begin of Greta’s Hollywood career likewise wasn’t going so well. Her screen test for Irving Thalberg failed to impress the producer. It took a set of still photos and a second chance at a screen test for Thalberg to realize the elusive, magical, and almost undefinable quality of the actress.

Her original couple of roles in the films Torrent and The Temptress brought Garbo to the attention of both critics and the public. This attention would provide the motivation for MGM to start out the real building of the Garbo legend. MGM had found itself another star.

What followed were a heap of of Garbo’s most intimate silent films including Flesh and the Devil, Love, and The Mysterious Lady. Starring with Garbo in Flesh and the Devil and Love was very popular leading man John Gilbert. The (erotic|sexual pleasure|sexually arousing intensity of the pair carried into an off-camera romance. The couple lived together for awhile with Gilbert proposing marriage three times before Garbo accepted. They were to be married in 1926. Garbo hid in a lavatory never coming out for the ceremony.

Her reputation for reticence and her mysterious screen presence would fit utterly with one another. She was almost always cast as a woman of mystery supplying a promise of sexual adventure. Audiences were fascinated with Garbo’s growing mystique.

She was described as “every man’s harmless fantasy mistress. By being worshiped by the entire world she gave you the sentiment that if your imagination has to sin, it may at least felicitate itself on it is impeccable taste.” Other descriptions included, “the supreme symbol of inscrutable tragedy.” and, “a super-human symbol of The Other Woman.”

The Garbo mystique was developing off screen as well. Her personal life proved to also be a mystery. She dressed in mannish clothing, with a carelessness with regards to her appearance, and lived frugally, occupying only a couple of rooms in her huge home. Her personal time was guarded, and while there were hints of interesting suitors no one in truth knew how she expended her time. Unlike other stars of her day, she would keep out of the way of being in the spotlight.

In 1927, Greta met stage and screen actress Lilyan Tashman, with the two allegedly having an affair. For a time the pair would be inseparable. This rumor of bisexuality proved to add fuel to the fire of the growing Garbo mystique.

By this time, sound had been introduced into motion pictures. With a good deal of of the silent screen stars unable to make the transition to sound recording, Garbo had galore doubts in regards to her own transition. Having achieved outstanding success in silent films, Garbo held out as long as she could fearing that her Swedish accent would prove to be a problem.

Not only was her accent not a problem, it intensified her exotic and (erotic|sexual pleasure|sexually arousing appeal with audiences. Her voice was basi heard in 1930′s Anna Christie, which was publicized with the slogan, “Garbo Talks!” Some of her more famous roles would follow including Mata Hari in 1931 and Grand Hotel in 1932.

While Garbo’s transition to pictures with sound was considered successful, it may likewise be said that it signaled the beginning of a slow decent in the stars box office appeal. There now appeared to be a crack in the Garbo mystique.

With the completion of 1941′s Two-Faced Woman, Garbo self-imposed upon herself…silence. She chose to undertake and preserve her mythic quality, gradually withdrawing from the amusement world, refusing to make any personal appearances, and living a secluded life in New York City surrounded by her globally widely known and esteemed art collection.

Greta Garbo has often times been related with her famous line spoken in the film Grand Hotel, “I want to be alone.” The sentiment of the line was sensed to be a personal request. When asked if the line might be just that, Garbo responded, “I never said, ‘I want to be alone.’ I only said, ‘I want to be let alone.’ There is all the difference.”

The obsession with the outstanding Greta Garbo still exists today, and the Garbo mystique has become a permanent portion of Hollywood history.

Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo (1905-1990) is as famous for her reclusiveness as for starring in such enduring classics as Flesh and the Devil, Grand Hotel, Queen Christina, and Ninotchka. In this richly illustrated volume, famous biographer Barry Paris offers the definitive biography of this arousing and attention holding and complex woman-from her hardscrabble childhood in Sweden to her arrival in Hollywood at the age of nineteen, from her meteoric rise to stardom to her unintentional retirement from filmmaking at the height of her fame, from the new life she crafted for herself to her surprising, and failed, plans for a comeback. Drawing on hitherto unavailable material, including one hundred hours of tape-recorded conversations, fifty years of correspondence, and consultations with Garbo’s surviving friends and family, Paris reveals the real woman behind the enigma.

“Barry Paris has crafted a magnificent, moving biography-a feast of rare, delicious facts, exploded myths, and compassionate observations. Surely it will be the final word on this most-fantasized-about movie idol.” Liz Smith, New York Daily News

“A witty, clearheaded correction to all the misinformation that has become part of the Garbo legend.” Julie Salamon, Vogue

“Magnificent, literate, detailed, and scrupulous. This is a book that at last solves the riddle of the Sphinx.” Hugh Leonard, Sunday Independent (London)

“A substantial work exploring the enigmatic life of one of the twentieth century’s most widely known and esteemed icons, a book noteworthy above all for it is humanity and compassion.” Robert Sklar, Newsday

“This strong, rich biography has sweeping detail, a huge cache of photos, and a satisfying grip on Garbo’s character. . . . Paris offers what is likely to be the ordinary life of Garbo-handsomely made, a gripping must-read.” Donald Newlove, Hollywood Reporter

Barry Paris is an award-winning biographer, film and music critic, and journalist who is the author of Louise Brooks (Minnesota, 2001). His articles have appeared in the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, American Film, and a great deal of other publications. He lives in Pittsburgh.

”A witty, clearheaded correction to all the misinformation that has become part of the Garbo legend.” –Vogue

”Magnificent, literate, detailed, and scrupulous. This is a book that at last solves the riddle of the Sphinx.” — Sunday Independent (London)

”A significant work exploring the enigmatic life of one of the twentieth century’s most famous icons, a book remarkable above all for it is humanity and compassion.” –Newsday

”This strong, rich biography has sweeping detail, a huge cache of photos, and a satisfying grip on Garbo’s character. . . . Paris offers what is likely to be the general life of Garbo–handsomely made, a gripping must-read.” — Hollywood Reporter

”(Reader: Anna) Fields’s sardonic and wry style fits well the public persona of Garbo.” –AudioFile

About the AuthorBARRY PARIS is the author of Louise Brooks. His articles have appeared in the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and American Film. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, the actress and singer Myrna Paris, and their two children.

From AudioFileAficionados of early international and Hollywood filmmaking will find much of interest in this biography of Garbo. Anna Fields does an admirable occupation keeping the story moving as it weaves through the respective periods of Garbo’s life and discusses the numerous well-known persons through whom the story is pieced together. Fields’s sardonic and wry style fits well the public persona of Garbo. The one aspect of the book that makes the audio format tedious is the broad quoting of taped telephone conversations amid Sam Green and Garbo. The ceaseless repetition of “SG” or “GG” to designate the speaker would be effortlessly skimmed over in print. Moreover, in spite of assurances that Garbo realized the taping was being done, hearing these conversations gives one the uneasy sense of being an eaves-dropper on this woman who expended so much of her life guarding her privacy. J.E.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Most helpful client reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful.
Meticulous Job
By Kathleen Chamberlain
One of the difficultnesses with celebrity biography is that biographers often assert too much, supplying as fact things that are in truth speculation or hearsay. Barry Paris fends off this trap very well, indicating distinctly which of his determinations are speculative and which may be documented. We see the value of this approach in his chapter on Garbo’s sexuality: different from numerous other Garbo biographers, Paris wisely refuses to rely on circumstantial evidence. Yes, I’m disappointed that the selective information is not more definitive, but then again, who would suppose the record of Garbo’s life to be any less equivocal than the woman herself? (And, as Garbo would no doubt point out, her sex life is none of our business anyway.)

If Paris is careful to discerned fact from gossip in biographical details, he is less cautious when indulging in psychological conjecture. For instance, his comprehensible statement of Garbo’s attraction to women (or her “sexual pathology,” as he terms it) is superficial, amateurish, and at times downright offensive (p. 249). (She turned to women only because she had been so hurt and betrayed by men? Please. Why ought to same-sex attraction be explained in terms of psychological harm and trauma? Why will have to it be “explained” at all?)

In general, the biography is weakest in it is psychological and cultural analyses. Despite galore interesting insights, Paris is evidently no psychologist, nor is he much of a cultural theorist. But I found it easy to skim these subsections and rather concentrate on the specifics of Garbo’s life and words, material that Paris presents thoroughly, meticulously, and (as far as I may tell) honestly. He’s respectful of his subject without being obsequious or gushy; he treats Garbo’s flaws in a balanced fashion.

Structurally, Paris may be repetitive. Stylistically, he have a tendancy to overuse his exclamation points! In a piece of severe writing, this quirk is distracting!

But all in all, “Garbo” is a solid, informative, gratifying biography.

11 of 11 humans found the following review helpful.
Garbo? Garbo who?
By M. A Newman
It is in all likelihood the case that more oftentimes than not the people who develop biographies of film stars hold themselves to a lower general than other authors. After all, most of these are trite recitations of scandals both real and imagined in which they are paired in any number of combinations.

Happily this is not the case with this book by Barry Paris. Mr. Paris brings a distinctive and scholarly approach to this work on the enigmatic silent and talky film star.

Frequently what compels humans to write these kinds of books is the assurance that a film star’s fan base will be sufficient to provide a ready made audience. In the case of Garbo’s career, as Mr. Paris cites time and time, it was her skill as an actress that enabled her to raise the quality of a work to dandier levels time and time again.

Garbo’s personal life was something else. It is clear that while in all probability a pleasant person to intimates, she did not suffer fools or intrusions gladly. In the final analysis as Mr. Paris points out, Garbo had two things going for her, her remarkable talent as an actress and the lengths she would go to to stay clear from undesirable contact. Otherwise she led a utterly general life with standard needs, at times carried almost to the level of excess in the case of Garbo’s a heap of quest for shoes. Still this mixture of the banal and rarified is the stuff of real life.

I would suggest that anybody reading this book might also get enjoyment from the TCM collection of Garbo movies that came out last year in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of her birth. This wondrous set likewise includes a copy of “Flesh and the Devil” with commentary by Mr. Paris.

8 of 8 persons found the following review helpful.
A top-notch bio
By Anyechka
This biography is just as well-written and meticulously-researched as Mr. Paris’s biography on Louise Brooks, which I had read prior to reading this one. He’s a outstanding celebrity biographer; he actually does his homework, doesn’t in truth get into the sleazy, sensational, and speculative trap that a lot of other celebrity biographers too often fall into, has a clear respect for his subject without fawning all over her, sugarcoating less than perfective distinct elements of her life, or keeping her up as some sort of demigoddess, and without doubt or question distinguishes amidst fact, straightout fantasy and falsehood, and rumor and speculation that could go either way. This professional approach is keenly felt when he’s writing with regards to Garbo’s relationships with men and women; there were a good deal of affairs of hers that were well-substatiated by outside proof (most peculiarly her affair with Jack Gilbert), but other than that one can’t genuinely say how some relationships she may have had, or even that she were actively bisexual, though she distinctly felt more comfortable in an emotional manner with women. She wasn’t totally asexual either; even though she did seem more comfortable alone, with no one invading her privacy and personal territory, she didn’t go through life altogether celibate either. And of course, Mr. Paris makes this topic one of only galore covered in the book, since what she did or didn’t do with any person she may or may not have had a kinship with isn’t genuinely any of our business.

What makes this book, and it is subject, so arousing and attention holding is the fact that the majority of Garbo’s life was not lived on-camera. She had her childhood and adolescence, her years of acting in Sweden, Germany, and America in the Twenties and Thirties, and then retired from the screen in the early Forties (though there was a strong possibleness she could have had to return to the screen in 1948, and some other times before and since). Mr. Paris even points out that, of the comparatively little amount of films she was in, not a whole lot of them would be considered outstanding cinematic works of art or classics. To paraphrase the old saying, she was seldom in a picture that was as good as she was. However, the strength of her personality, her riveting screen presence, her distinctive and androgynous beauty, and her acting talent elevated these films beyond formula pictures, made one watch them in spite of the not always outstanding scripts. Particularly interesting are the chapters on Garbo’s life post-acting. Mr. Paris brings these years of retirement to bright life, showing us that just because she had willingly dropped out of public view didn’t mean she had ceased to live a arousing and attention holding life; in fact, in galore ways her post-acting life was even more colorful and interesting. He likewise chronicles the real story of her widely known and esteemed desire to be alone, or to be left alone, and how the truth was more complex than just a timid recluse or a former moviestar who shunned most humane contact. She led a very full and active social life for the duration of those almost 50 years off-screen, and had friendships with a lot of high-profile and arousing and attention holding people, pursued a lot of diverse interests, had a lot of interesting thoughts, and in general lived a very interesting life. He likewise examines the truth behind why she never married; on the one hand, there’s plenteous proof to suggest that she just preferent to be alone, didn’t want to be made vulnerable by intimacy, would feel invaded or violated by such intrusion, was never actually cut out to be the stereotypical traditionalisti wife and mother; but on the other hand, galore of her close associates felt that perchance she could have been happy with a collaborator who knew and understood her need to be alone and the fact that she would never be a housewife or conform to the conventional gender role assigned to women in Western society, and even said she now and then voiced regret she had never married or had a family. Whatever the case, she was always very much her own person with her own identity.

However, even in a bio this meticulous and even-handed, there are bound to be a lot of errors. The major one I noticed was Mr. Paris’s statement that ‘The Kiss,’ Garbo’s final silent, was likewise the last silent freed in America but for Chaplin’s last stands, ‘City Lights’ (1931) and ‘Modern Times’ (1936). ‘The Kiss’ came out in mid-November 1929, but there were still galore theatres in America not wired for sound, and galore artists who were still freeing silents they had made earlier that year, such as Laurel and Hardy’s final silent, ‘Angora Love,’ which came out in December of 1929. Additionally, galore of the more minor studios did release silent pictures in 1930, so to say that this was the final American silent picture is kind of dishonest. It would have been better had he said it was the last *major* American silent. Another error I noticed was when Mr. Paris referred to Natacha Rambova (whose forename he didn’t even spell correctly) as a lesbian. This seems to be just one of those old unfounded rumors that just won’t go away. The reader also might disagree with a good deal of of his views or conclusions in regards to galore of her films, or sure distinct features of them, but the beauty of views is that we’re all entitled to our own and aren’t forced to agree with somebody else’s.

Overall, I would highly commend this book to any individual who wants to know more with regards to this widely known and esteemed and elusive enigma and to go beyond long-time rumors and speculation to find out the facts.

See all 13 client reviews…

Desperate housewives

How long will you despise

The sacred covenant of marriage

Remember the song in regards to the baby carriage?

This holy benediction you earnestly prayed for

And now your beloved spouse you abhor

I your Creator esteemed your request opening the door

Intervening and orchestrating divine relationship

Providing you somebody to love and not neglect

Acknowledge and realize pleasure is not found in marriage

But rather will have to be cultivated and possessed within

Taken into marriage in order for you to be competent to win

To endure the challenges and difficulties of life

To arise over argumentation and conquer the strife

Some are now disillusioned with the husbands they married

Yet it is you too these men have carried

You haven’t always been a bed of roses

Peaches and cream? No, you too make your man scream

Pull out his hair, anger him to the point he just doesn’t care

Now you whine and complain in regards to him.

Such murmuring just isn’t fair

You lift up complaints to God and don’t hesitate to dare

Considering divorce and adultery

Evil has overtaken you with profanity and perversity

Wake up before it is too late

Respect your man as you did on your basi date

Don’t be too intimate and become an ingrate

Rid your heart of such malice and hate

Commit your heart and marriage to God

He may resurrect love again and make marriage great

Stop comparing yourself and critiquing to rate

Your man versus others

Such doesn’t work among sisters and brothers

Neither must it find place in your own heart

Within the context of matrimony

It’s for less to keep him than recompense alimony

Invite God into your situation

To turn the test into a testimony

Repent of your stubbornness and pride

Let the Almighty Matchmaker turn the tide

Turn the mess into a miracle

Open prison doors and take you to the pinnacle

Alleviate confusedness and do away with your soulish debacle

Your negative complex mental states and mental models tackle

Your unruly and cruel tongue to the full or entire extent harness

Lest it get the best of us

God may make all wrongs right

Give you peace and love before you turn out the light

You need not always fight

Nor have unrealistic expectations

Get ready for a new sensation

As I the Lord visit, melt, and change you into a new creation

Awakening you into your divine purpose

Alter your affairs and direct your course

Transforming you within and without

So you will become a tame wife who no longer shouts

But tenderly embraces and tries

Cry no more, your dreams you will entirely realize

Dry your eyes, lift up your head

Get out of your aroused lows and depression’s bed

Learn to love unconditionally instead

Life is short, don’t live it as if you were dead

Marriage is something to be celebrated not to dread

Marriages are made in heaven

But on world they ought to be continually fed

Feed basi notwithstanding your own heart and soul

Seek God above to heal your broken heart and be made whole.

Cheat not on the spouse to whom you said “I do”

Humbly seek your Creator in prayer. Let Him modify you.

Most helpful client reviews

10 of 15 persons found the following review helpful.
desperate housewives: the finish seventh season
By Laurie Nesheim
i love the series!!!!i already have the other 6 season’s, & desperately would like to finish the series.
i have watched the whole series @ least 7 or 8 times already.& am quiet anchious to see what happens next!!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Desperate Housewives!
By kristen
I love this season! My last season was my bestloved but I love this season so much drama! A serial killer in truth not just in Gabbys` daughters` mind! lol so there is one ! Im` thinking it Gabbys` so called dead step father so creepy and scary!

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
GREAT…LOVE IT !!
By Juilie
This is such a outstanding season, altho I love all 6 other one, I found this one the best, I may watch it over and over again without getting bored.

See all 13 client reviews…

This NFL season has provided hours of entertainment, excitement, and spectacular displays of sportsmanship. The resurgence of Michael Vick in the NFL after a two year prison term has sports fanciers everyplace sitting on the edge of their seats.

Michael Vick wowed even President Barack Obama with his 3,018 passing yards and 676 rushing yards season, to date. Fantasy Football players were victorious as they cheered Michael Vick’s 310.32 fantasy points. The Eagle’s coaches, staff, and players have all touted the humbleness, spirit, and dedication to the game of football. He is visibly a changed man. So why are there so a good deal of persons who still want to put up roadblocks on Michael Vick’s road to redemption? Why are so some people determined to see Michael Vick fail? It is because we live in a world of hypocrisy.

Our American legal system was conventional to be one of crime and punishment. When an person commits a crime they are given a punishment that is supposed to fit the crime. Once the person finishes the punishment they are supposed to be rehabilitated and get a second chance at getting a procreative fellow member of our society. After all, this country was built on Christian principles – to include forgiveness – right? Instead, we Americans continually persecute humans on their road to redemption, demean them in the court of public opinion, and diminish their prospects of success by finding them a permanent jail on Google search. Lastly, when the persons are refused viable employment because of the outcry of the public, and they are forced to go on public assistance, we complain regarding our tax dollars being used to aid these people.

Michael Vick consecrated a crime and he served his time according to the law. Instead of ostracizing this man we will have to commend him as he travels on his road to redemption. He exemplified the spirit of rehabilitation and second chances.

Michael Vick, proceed to travel on salvation road. Put on your best pair of cleats, use your unbelievable athletic ability, and hurdle any and each roadblock people put in your path. You are a winner and the finish line is within your grasp!

Michael Vick

Decorate your home or office with high quality posters. Philadelphia Eagles Michael Vick Sports Poster Print – 22×34 is that perfective piece that matches your style, interests, and budget.

Harry Houdini is in all probability one of the most widely known and esteemed magicians there has ever been – if you ask an individual on the street, even today, to name a magician, there is a very good prospect they’ll name Houdini, altho he passed away in 1926.

So, here are a few facts regarding Houdini that you may not know:

1. His real name was Erich Weiss, but he changed his name to Houdini in honour of a famous French magician, Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin.

2. He was actually born in Budapest, Hungary, though his family moved to the USA when he was very young. However, he did assert in later years to have been born in Appleton, Wisconsin.

3. Houdini begun life as a very intermediate magician, going by the title King Of Kards for a while, before embarking on his distinguishable career as an escapologist, for which he became so famous.

4. His wife, Bess, was also a performer, and after they were married, she worked as his stage assistant for the rest of his performing career.

5. It was for the duration of his highly successful tour of Europe, just after the turn of the century, that he acquired the name The Handcuff King.

6. He became famous for his suspended straitjacket escapes, as well as escapes from beneath water, but his most widely known and esteemed was the Chinese Water Torture Cell, in which he was hung upside down, by his ankles, in a cabinet filled with water.

7. Houdini was an avid aviator, and was the firstborn person to achieve a controlled, powered flight over Australia, in 1910, in his own Voisin biplane.

8. He made a few movies, including The Man From Beyond (1921), even though they were far from successful.

9. For numerous years, Houdini was the most eminent paid performer in vaudeville.

10. He served as the President of the Society Of American Magicians from 1917 until his death in 1926.

11. After the death of his beloved mother, Cecilia, he expended much of his time debunking fraudulent mediums after vain attempts to contact her from beyond the grave.

12. His exposures of spiritualists cost him his friendship with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the famous Sherlock Homes stories.

13. Although the movie starring Tony Curtis regarding Houdini’s life had him dying under water in a failed escape, he actually passed from physical life after contracting peritonitis, supposedly after being hit in the stomach by a student before he had to time to prepare himself. He passed from physical life various days later, on Halloween 1926, at the age of 52.

Harry Houdini

Handcuff King. Escape Artist. International Superstar. Since his death eighty years ago, Harry Houdini’s life has been chronicled in books, in film, and on television. Now, in this groundbreaking biography, widely known and esteemed magic expert William Kalush and bestselling writer Larry Sloman team up to find the man behind the myth. Drawing from millions of pages of research, they describe in bright detail the passions that drove Houdini to carry out ever-more-dangerous feats, his mystery life as a spy, and a pernicious plot to subvert his legacy.

The Secret Life of Houdini traces the arc of the master magician’s life from desperate poverty to international fame — his bequest later threatened by a group of fanatical Spiritualists led by esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Initiating the reader along the way into the arcane world of professional magic, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, supplying an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend.

About the AuthorWilliam Kalush has been a consecrated student of the art of magic for more than twenty-five years. Founder of the Conjuring Arts Research Center and publisher of Gibecière, an esteemed magic history journal, he has helped develop various world-famous magic stunts and prime-time network television specials.

Larry Sloman is an award-winning author best known for his collaborations with radio personality Howard Stern on Private Parts and Miss America. He became mesmerized in magic history after working with David Blaine on his best-selling essay Mysterious Stranger.

Most helpful client reviews

54 of 56 persons found the following review helpful.
Spy controversy a distraction from this splendid biography
By John Cox
The “Houdini was a spy” aspect of this book – so hyped in the media and debated by magic historians – is a distraction from what must be seen, firstborn and foremost, as a major new Houdini biography loaded with arousing and attention holding new facts regarding the outstanding magician’s life and career.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
An perfectly marvelous book when it comes to Houdini!
By Patrick Culliton
There have been a slew of biographies of Houdini from Harold Kellock’s 1928 book that was written “from the documents and recollections of Beatrice Houdini” to this most recent one by magic authority Bill Kalush and “Reefer Madness” author Ratso Slocum. I have read them all and may say without reservation that this is my favorite.
I comprehend the feeling of annoyance at being hindered or criticized of a heap of readers who complain that the book holds no notes or substantiation of the facts as presented. Like the biography “Houdini, the Career of Ehrich Weiss” by Kenneth Silverman, the exploration was so voluminous, the notes so extensive, that they require another book to comprise them. I very much look forward to this forthcoming book of notes, but, the lack of footnoting in this book doesn’t bother me. What was it John Barrymore said to describe his dislike of footnotes? (He felt that footnotes got in the way of a good read). I think he said, “It’s like having to run downstairs to answer the doorbell on one’s wedding night.”
The exploration that the writers did in preparation for this book was merely enormous. When the book of notes comes out, that will become clear. Still, I commiserate with readers who would like the biography and the notes to be contained in a single volume but, believe me, that would be one thick book.
There are assorted examples of “invented” dialog that has bothered some Houdini authorities. I may state that even these will have a good deal of substantiation in the mountain of documents that will be contained in the next volume.
I wonder how a great deal of of the “Houdini experts” who question the veracity of this book have ever heard of the Hungarian escape artisan called Hanelo? Or one named Steen? Or Rex Palmer Gordon? Well, I hadn’t until I read this book and this is Culliton speaking.
Any mistakes? Well, a photo of Houdini’s leading lady Ann Forrest is misidentified as Gloria Swanson which must be corrected before the paperback comes out, but, while there are other points of view on a great deal of matters discussed in the book, the writers have done their homework and there is background for their assertions.
Then there are Houdini insiders I knew with regards to but that most of the other biographers missed: Dr. Waite, for one example. Or Montraville Wood for another. It cheered my heart when these guys picked up on them, and many, numerous others. Gertude Hills, John Hanauer, Ormer Locklear. . . I could go on and on.
Is the book 100% accurate? Probably not, due to it is subject. As Silverman pointed out in an interview, (I’m probably paraphrasing slightly) “In most life histories there are three dissimilar versions of any event. In Houdini’s life, there are at least ten.” It has become each Houdini biographer’s task to choose which story rings truest.
As to the book’s contention that Houdini did mystery work for at least two governments, I believe it, and I believe the basi two passport apps Houdini made (as discussed in the book) constitute the smoking gun.
Is this book the last word on Houdini? Uh uh! No one will ever write the last word on Houdini (after all, he’s Houdini) but I love this book and I unreservedly commend it.

See all 58 client reviews…

Charlie Sheen, actor and star of the TV show Two and a Half Men, has been in the news. His life and lifestyle are being exposed to public scrutiny so it is time to unmask his birth order. His birth order will let us see what makes Charlie so likable while at the same time he appears unbalanced and self destructive.

• Family and Siblings

Charlie’s parents Martin and Janet Sheen changed their name from Estevez before Charlie was born to make it less ethnic and support Martin’s acting career. Their introductory was Emilo, May 12, 1962. Next, Ramon August 7, 1963, Charlie September 3, 1965 and last and the only girl, Renee April 2, 1967. Charlie was born Carlos Irvin Estevez and the only child to use Sheen as his last name. This ought to have been the signal that life was going to be dissimilar with Charlie.

• Characteristics of the Third Born

When the third child is born he has to understand 14 dissimilar relationships in the family. Those among all his siblings, parents and himself in dissimilar combinations. This is what makes the third born such a master at understanding and working with groups of people. They may be the most sensible and intuitive people as they pick up on the subtleties of those around them. Understanding others makes them likable as they veritably feel your pain. They are masters of playing one sibling versus the other and are good at coming and going emotionally. They see the world very differently than the first- and second borns. Power over others or the control of their own space in not as necessary as their need to express themselves in humanitarian or artistic ways. In life, this birth order has more freedom to experience the non-traditional distinct elements of society on a more personal level. Drugs, sex, and alcohol without delay come to mind. Because of the third born’s uttermost sensitivity they may project a tough outer aspect but this is only a sham to protective their sensible side.

• Third Born with Two Older Brothers

All third borns part a number of similar characteristics but they display them differently. The gender of the two older siblings has a great deal of influence on the conduct of the third born. In Charlie’s family it has been said that he had an adversarial kinship with his two older brothers, Emilo and Ramon. There may be a lot of testosterone with three boys. This is the clue that he was attempting to move up the birth order ladder. The child with the lower birth order always wants to move up but normally the third born doesn’t have a prospect because the age gap is too large. Most third borns just ignore their older siblings and go in a dissimilar direction rather than compete. Not so with Charlie.

• The Move Up – Sibling Rivalry

What would give Charlie as a child the thought that he could challenge his siblings and try to move up in birth order. We don’t know what happened in the home for the duration of this amount of time of his life but a few clues may lead us in this investigation. As an adult Charlie is taller than his two older brothers. Charlie is 5’10″, Emilo the oldest is 5’6″, and the second brother Ramon is 5’7″. If Charlie grew early this would have been a element in the challenge for the higher position. It must also be brought up that the second brother Ramon was named after his father. This is very strange as the introductory born commonly gets his father’s name. Perhaps his older brother Emilo felt a little less secure after Ramon was born. This was another opening for Charlie.

• Like Father Like Son

Martin Sheen, Charlie’s father was born Ramon Estevez the seventh of ten children. This makes his birth order a second level number three (Birth order numbers begin again after number four) very similar to Charlie. Martin wanted to be an actor so seriously that it is said he purposely failed his entrance exam to college so he could begin his acting career. We see a similar pattern with Charlie who was not much of a student in high school, his interests were acting and baseball. Charlie got his firstborn acting role at age nine with a percentage in his father’s movie, The Execution of Private Slovik. He was the star shortstop and pitcher on his high school team but a few weeks before graduation he was expelled due to poor attendance and bad grades. This was also the initial time there is a mention of the influence of drugs in his life. He has since gone through rehab for this problem.

• What the Future may Hold

What will be the future for this likable third born. Will he enter rehab again and kick his drug habit? Is a stable marriage in his future? Third borns are very protective of their sensible nature so when the tough faade is lost a tidal wave of emotion and a meltdown may occur. As with all birth orders you have a choice to use your particular characteristics for a positive life or go in a negative direction. Only Charlie may determine his future.

Charlie Sheen

It’s up to a pair of trash-hauling heroes to clean up the city in this action-comedy starring real-life brothers Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez. Garbage men James (Estevez) and Carl (Sheen) dream of opening a surf shop, but oftentimes land in hot water due to their practical jokes. When they discover the body of a murdered politician on their route, they try to sniff out the killer themselves a bad idea that speedily ensnares them in a toxic waste scandal. Soon, they’re thrown headlong into a manic escapade involving a deranged veteran, an beautiful venture manager, a kidnapped pizza deliveryman and a greedy polluter who wants them hauledoff to a landfill for good!

Proving that a little success may be a dangerous thing, Emilio Estevez parlayed his early-’80s “brat-pack” fame into a dubious directorial career, beginning with 1986′s Wisdom (in which Estevez costarred with then-fiancée Demi Moore), and resuming with this sophomore-effort 1990 comedy that gains most from Emilio’s teaming with brother Charlie Sheen. (Close your eyes and listen: their voices sound like their dad Martin Sheen after inhaling helium.) The brothers play a pair of rubbish gatherers who discover a body on their every day rounds, and the corpse draws them into a scheme involving corrupt politics, illegal hazardous-waste dumping, and a lovely neighbor (Leslie Hope) with connections to the dead guy. Add a wacko Vietnam vet (Keith David), an unsuspecting pizza deliverer (Dean Cameron), and a pair of overzealous cops, and you’ve got a comedy that lazily rambles from one lightweight scene to another. It’s way too loose to have any noteworthy quality, but that’s likewise share of the movie’s low-brow appeal: Estevez and Sheen play well together, and this is just their way of goofing off with Hollywood money. With a sharper script and an experienced director, Men at Work could have remunerated off handsomely. As it is, these sibling jokes are amiable enough, and the early-’90s fashion crimes (like Charlie’s “dork knob” ponytail) offer an amusive diversion from the lamest gags. –Jeff Shannon

Most helpful client reviews

8 of 8 persons found the following review helpful.
Men At Work…A Comedy that Works!
By A
MEN AT WORK is a comedy that doesn’t undertake to be over the top, but it is amusive on the grounds of the engaging alchemy of the two stars Emilio Estevez (also the director) and Charlie Sheen. They are two rubbish men, who find a dead body for the duration of one of their pick-ups. They realize it is the guy they had shot with a pellet rifle whom they observed abusing his girfriend (Leslie Hope) who lives in the apartment throughout the street form their own apartment. Knowing that their pellet gun could not be the cause of the dead man’s demise, they suspect the girl and do their own investigation. Then, they get caught in a web of an evil politician (John Getz) and his illegal waste operation. Add a couple of bargain basement hit-men, a distrurbed Vietnam vet (Keith David), a couple of rival rubbish men, two trigger happy cops, a pizza deliverer (Dean Cameron), a few rent-a-cops, and dozen or so waste handler’s, and you have a film that is fun to watch. A comedy with plausibility and a plot that’s not too complicated. Overall,a little and forgotten gem that, with repeated viewing, grows on you.

6 of 6 persons found the following review helpful.
a comedy classic
By A
I’ve been waiting for this to be freed on DVD. The movie is a hoot!!! Especially love the “Louis” character. “I hate cops- I hate rent-a cops too”. “Now if Mr.Sneaky-man would come up here and stand next to Mr.Bone-head”. I just received my copy the other day, and was marveling if any person else has this problem…….there is no chapter index sheet in the box. Just the DVD.

5 of 5 persons found the following review helpful.
MEN AT WORK
By ka Kesser
THIS movie is hilarious, EVERY actor in this movie is amusive as hell and even even though the story is weird , they all inject me with laughing bug allround the entire movie. The only thing that is not good when it comes to this flick is that it is too short, and the initial half is alot better than the second half.
I loved this movie when it came out in theatres back in 1990 or something and if you have not seen it, then buy the dvd. It is one of the greatest movies with Sheen and Estevez.

See all 32 client reviews…

Hatred and Disgust

Lee Goldsmith, a well respected, Boca Raton, socialite of 67 years, hated her son in law so much that she hired somebody to kill him. Goldsmith, anxious to find a suitable husband for her daughter, Arleen, a Delray Beach nurse, took out an in the local paper: “Nice Jewish Girl Wants to Meet Nice Jewish Boy.” David Brownstein is the man who answered the ad, and the two became inseparable. However, Mrs. Goldsmith could not bear the thought of her daughter marrying Brownstein because he was not professional. An air conditioning automati repairman would not have been impressive sufficient for Goldsmith’s socialite friends, so she concocted a plan to destruct his life. According to state testimony, Goldsmith, tried everything in the book, from falsifying letters and threatening to cut Arleen out of her will, to accusations of beatings and extortion from Brownstein. But not one thing would fuel her hatred more than not being capable to attend her own daughter’s wedding, nor see her grandson. So she decisive that it was time to have David Brownstein out of their lives for good.

The Plot

The carpet cleaner seemed like the perfective guy to ask when it comes to where to find a contract murderer. He was hired to clean the carpet in the Goldsmith’s home when Lee asked him regarding helping her find somebody to kill her son in law. The man said he would see what he could do to support her out, and rather he informed the police of the plot and received a $750 cash reward. The police then invented a plan to trap Goldsmith into paying an undercover cop for the job. The plan was to meet near a restaurant where Lee Goldsmith would give explicit instructions on how the murder will have to be carried out. The intended victim would be shot in the head and have drugs planted on his body to make it look like a drug affiliated murder. She remunerated Thomas Brennen $1,000 up front, and then once the death was confirmed she would pay the remaining $9,000.

On February 8, 1989, David Brownstein kissed his wife Arleen before entering work without knowing that his life was when it comes to to modify forever. The police notified him of his mother in law’s plans to kill him, and he consorted to play along. The region morgue was likewise in on the plot. They were told to assert the death of David Brownstein when Goldsmith called. On February 15, 1989, Brennen told Goldsmith that her son in law was dead. She then salaried the balance, thanked the officer, and chuckled as she remarked how happy every one would be “except the one in the morgue.” Undercover Police Officers videotaped Lee paying them to kill David while meeting in Lee’s CADILLAC. She told the undercover cop that she would have another occupation for him in six months. She wanted the mother of David Brownstein to have acid poured onto her face. She laughed and laughed as she described precisely how she wanted it done. Police moved in and arrested Lee Goldsmith and charged her with solicitation of initial degree murder.

The Trial

During the February 1990 trial, neighbors and friends described Lee Goldsmith as a tame soul who would not injure anyone. She was described as a civic leader who engaged in fund raising activenesses and instructing exercise classes to retirees. Milton Goldsmith backed up his wife’s story with regards to the beatings and letters they received. He stated that they became terrified of Brownstein. Arleen was torn as she was asked if she loved her mother. “To say I didn’t love her would be a falsehood,” said Arleen. Meanwhile, Lee Goldsmith looked as though she was falling apart for the duration of most of the trial. She wept after she described the beating she endured. David Browstein expended two hours on the stand denying taking any portion in any beating, nor any conduct exhibited toward his mother in law. Lee Goldsmith was found guilty and sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison. “Please, God, no,” said Lee, collapsing after hearing the verdict. Her husband Milton was distraught.

In June 1995, Lee Goldsmith was freed on probation at the age of 73.

Update

The case became a sensation. After her release from prison Lee and Milton Goldsmith appeared on A Current Affair and the Oprah Winfrey show. The movie Mother Knows Best aired in April 1997.

On Easter Sunday, April 13, 2009, I spoke with Lee Goldsmith. She informed me that her husband Milton had fallen, fractured his neck, and never recovered. He passed away a few months ago. She said these days she feels alone and despondent. She is 86 years old. She no longer engages in any fund raising. She spends most of her time at home. Goldsmith and her adopted daughter Arleen have never spoken to one another again. Lee Goldsmith and I never talked in regards to the crime, and she refers to it only as ‘the incident.’ She never knew a movie had been made when it comes to her. She is not intimate with a great deal of cable stations, stating “my husband took care of those things.” She said she would like to watch it though. She would like for me to let her know when the movie is on again.

Lee Remick

Nouveau New York socialite Frances Schreuder has her heart’s desire: a seat on the board of the New York City Ballet. And all it took was murder. Lee Remick gives an electrifying performance as the real-life sociopath who schemed her way far from her Salt Lake City roots to conquer the Big Apple. The scheme: goad her 17-year-old son into killing his grandfather (and her father), a miserly multimillionaire, and inherit a fortune. Flashing among Frances’ murder trial and the chilling events that led to it, this riveting crime adventure story – nominated for nine Emmy(r) Awards including Outstanding Miniseries and Lead Actress (Remick) – brilliantly explores the unbelievable-if-it-weren’t-true aftermaths of one enraged and twisted mind.

This product is fabricated on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com’s general return policy will apply.

Most helpful client reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
AN ENRAGED & TWISTED MIND
By Betsy Heimbuch
My husband and I watched Nutcracker: Money Madness and Murder for when it comes to three nights. We were mesmerized with the events portrayed in the movie. Lee Remick deserved each reward she received for this movie as you in truth begun to believe it was her life.

2 of 2 persons found the following review helpful.
Chilling story
By Berit Faaberg
I have been looking for this story on DVD ever since I saw it TV a great deal of years ago —
It is a completely unbeliveable story and it is so intense an well performed all the way.
I am just taken with the whole story — and the actors are aweinspiring — all of them , of course, with Lee Remick on top !!

I commend this DVD !!

4 of 5 humans found the following review helpful.
Lee Remick at her best
By Bobby B
I have this movie on an old VHS tape that I recorded from the primary airing on TV. It’s all grainy and the sound is horrible. I can’t believe that I was competent to order a DVD of it. Such good performances from all the actors in it.

See all 6 client reviews…

Welcome to the world of healing teas. Regular tea, a freshening stimulant, only two calories per cup, is the world’s most popular non-alcoholic healthful drink. Tea glorifies us with numerous dissimilar flavors, scents and colours; the colours are determined by the length of exposure to oxidation.

A outstanding amount of tea is invented in Asia, while it is actually grown in India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, and Indonesia. Tea is a fellow member of the camellia sinensis family. The best quality teas are grown in the high altitudes and the finest leaves are plucked from the youngest shoots and unopened leaf buds. These buds incorporate the most eminent levels of phenols, enzymes and caffeine.

The manner in which fresh tea leaves are processed includes the length of time the leaves are exposed to the oxidation process; it is that which will determine the colour and the flavor of the tea.

There are three main types of tea leaves; black Indian tea developed by drying and fermenting the leaves; thereby converting the flavorless colourless leaves into a pigmented astringent tannin. Researchers believe due to bioflavonoids, plant pigments have been linked to the shelter agents that prevent heart attacks, by the reduction of the capacity of blood platelets to clot. Antioxidant properties of tea also block harm caused to the arteries by free radicals freed when the body consumes oxygen lack tea, researchers have found that by drinking five cups a day, scaled down the incidence of stroke by 70% in men.

Green (Japanese) Tea was flavored by the Asians, and is not fermented, but dried and formulates a green leaf. It is lighter in color and the tannins are the chemicals in green tea which bind surface proteins in our mouths to construct a tightening effect thereby incapacitating plaque forming bacteria. It aids in digestion of oily substances and is thought to normalize metabolism. It also holds a natural fluoride which prevents tooth decay. Researchers feel this is similar to an antiseptic effect.

Recently, researcher Iman Hakim, a professor at Arizona Cancer Center suggested the compounds in green tea in a positive manner affect genes involved in cancer susceptibility and DNA repair. Green tea has been commended highly for the preventative action of colon cancer and prostate cancer.

Tea researchers have only been fascinated in the effects of tea for the last 30 years and point to a 5,000 year track record of the traits of green tea; they say that at the very least, green tea cannot injure you, and most likely is beneficial to our bodies.

Dr. Hakim says the ongoing tryouts of smokers with COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease, have found a significant betterment in the levels of HDL and LDL in cholesterol testing, to those given green tea and those given a placebo.

John Fox, professor of Neuroscience, biology and Psychology, in New York, USA held a symposium where players were given 10 cups of tea each, and the other group a placebo. Those given the tea had a remarkable increase in the capacity to focus better on given tasks. The active ingredient in this case in green tea is theanine, an amino acid.

The third main tea produced is oolong tea which stems from a combining of black tea and green tea. The actual brand names of oolong tea may incorporate as some as 20 dissimilar types of tea. I have purchased such teas a lot of times, and they are genuinely exotic in blend and flavor. At this stage of tea drinking, one will have to buy a tea steeper, which is comparatively small, oval in shape, and holds the tea leaves in when you place it in a cup, this the routine of “steeping” the tea is taking place. Remove when the dark colour appears.

Naturally occurring theophyllines in teas have proven to aid humans with asthma. These theophyllines have been invented in the use of drugs and inhalers to treat asthma and other constrictive lung disorders.

Dandelion tea is an effective diuretic which stimulates and cleanses the liver. It has likewise been used to sip for bloating and constipation. You may wish to add sugar to the tea to sweeten the bitter taste of dandelion tea.

Chamomile tea is commended by a lot of naturopaths to take before bed time to help with insomnia and in low doses, it may relieve anxiety. Chamomile tea is a light coloured tea.

Ginger Tea is a spicy brew, and my favorite; it has long been applied for gastrointestinal distress, including nausea and vomiting. Ginger tea is so tasty with a little honey and milk. Of course, ginger, being a very usual spice, is employed in a lot of variations of teas, which unquestionably would be a healthful recipe for healthful living.

Licorice tea is bold, aromatic and is known to fight off stress and fatigue. In ancient civilizations, it was thought to be a potent aphrodisiac. So, if you want to feel sexy, undertake drinking licorice tea. Good luck with the results.

Peppermint tea sweetens your breath with it is pungent concoction, leaving your mouth fresh for a kiss! Peppermint has long been known to ‘tame the tummy’.

Rooibos tea is a caffeine free South African tea, low in tannin levels, and rich in solid homogeneous inorgani substance content, which promotes healthful skin, teeth and bones. Apparently, rooibos tea has antioxidant properties and is reputed to be anti-ageing, which I am sure would be likeable to most of us for healthful living.

If sales are any indication of use of teas, last year was the 15th successive year buyers in America have purchased more tea than ever before. On any given day, in regards to one half of the population drinks tea. In 2006, US consumed 2.25 billion gallons, of which 83% was black tea, 16% green tea, and 85% iced tea.

It is very evident to me there are a great deal of healthful gains to consuming teas and it is rather clear that tea drinkers need not worry with regards to toxicity as according to studies shown in 2008, as Author Beverly Sills says, there are no published records concerning toxicity. It was likewise cited that tea has less caffeine than coffee.

“Polly put the kettle on.” It is clear to me that tea, the world’s most standard non-alcoholic drink, is a healthful recipe for healthful living. Now you are conscious of the healing teas to select. Bottoms up everyone.

Most helpful client reviews

28 of 28 persons found the following review helpful.
Another Great Sills Collection
By Thomas H. Moody
Deutsche Grammophon has done more for Beverly Sills’ Westminster/ABC recordings in this age of the CD than EMI (Angel) ever did with their CD versions of her later recordings. And I hope they carry on their track record by freeing her “Norma”. While galore felt that Sills was not right for the role of Norma and others have critisized Levine’s conducting, the recording is far from a disaster. It’s actually rather good when kept up to what’s being freed today – and it holds it is own on any level if one loosens up on their preconceived notions of “how” Norma must be sung. And furthermore it features the great (and underated)Shirley Verrett as Adalgisa. Please Deutsche Grammophon, I’m waiting!

Regarding this collection, well, it is numerous of Sills’ best work for Westminster/ABC. Here her voice was still principally in top form and the coloratura is not to be matched. And of course there’s “the original time on CD” aria “Mira, o Norma”. Buy it for this alone! Sills and Verret always sounded outstanding together – be it the “Anna Bolena”, “The Siege of Corinth” or this tantalizing bit from the finish “Norma”.

And while I would love to see the Capuleti recording see the light of day on CD, it was an EMI recording and their non- advert of their Sills’ recordings means we’ll probably never see it. It even featured fine performances from Janet Baker and Nicolai Gedda!

Now I wish that Deutsche Grammophon would release the Westminster/ABC solo discs that Sills recorded, particularly the French disc – complete, without truncating the Meyerbeer.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
Viva Beverly: Her Greatest Hits
By Rudy Avila
This is the most recent album of Beverly Sills to be freed in a while since The Art Of Beverly Sills and Plaisir D’Amour. It is an arrangement of some unreleased material and a heap of old favorites. The reviewer that mocked Beverly Sills for being shrill and unpleasing was rude and unpolite. It’s unfeigned that not everyone is a Beverly Sills fan. For a long time, fans have had their quarrels and rivalry, claiming their own diva idol as the best. Joan Sutherland vs Beverly Sills, Maria Callas vs Renata Tebaldi, it never ends. But the truth is there is no greatest singer. It’s up to you to determine which voice you prefer to invade your stereo, which diva is your personal favorite. If you are a fan of either Maria Callas or Joan Sutherland, there is no need to bash, insult or attack Beverly Sills. The negative reviewer probably did’nt even listen the entire album.

Beverly Sills won global acclaim as an opera legend in 1964 with her performance as Cleopatra. She moved on to sing all three Hoffman heroines -we get to listen arias from Tales Of Hoffman on this album. She sang The Queen Of The Night in Mozart’s Magic Flute, Lehar’s Merry Widow, whose aria is likewise on this recording, as well as the ever usual concert aria “Wien Wien” a favored of Elisabeth Schwartzkopf. Beverly Sills has a light instrument, but her flute voice may definately impress and when singing with dramatic power she may veritably electrify. Her coloratura is the best in the business. Her spiraling roulades and cadenzas, free vocal glissando up and down scales and octaves are mesmerizing. Her control of breath and lyrical splendor enables her to sing the long bel canto lines so popular of the operas of Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. From 1969-1975, Sills reached the peak of her career and her vocal glory with the difficult and demanding roles of Donizetti’s Three Tudor Queen trilogy- Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereux. As Queen Elizabeth I in Roberto Devereux, she was unsurpassed. Here in this album is the finale to that opera.

She sings here the best of all the bel canto- Rossini’s Barber Of Seville, whose Rosina was a role she made completely her own, Juliet in Bellini’s Montagues and Capulets, which after an orchestral introduction, she sings with the most melancholy sweetness. The duet “Mira O Norma” from Bellini’s Norma is here, and has never been recorded on to a disc before. Sills performed the role of Norma a heap of times to outstanding success and recorded it once for LP opposite Shirley Verrett as Adalgisa. The role of Norma may be written for a giantess’ voice such as Callas or Sutherland but Beverly Sills develops a noble, intimate portrait of Norma and stands her own in the role. Beverly Sills. The genuinely distinguishable and terrifi diva of the 20th century. She is in her seventies now and chairman at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera. Her bequest lives on, eternally, as hopefully newer recordings are made into compact disc like the entire Norma hopefully one day on cd.

11 of 11 persons found the following review helpful.
Sills still thrills!!!
By max renfroe
I became an opera lover in 1986. Not until 1990 was I made conscious of Beverly Sills. A friend loaned me one of her cd’s
and I was hooked. This most recent release is just one more example
of the astounding artistry this woman possessed. Her dead accurate
coloratura can not be matched. Just listen to her recording of
Donizetti’s “L’Assedio di Corinto” (The Seige of Corinth), exceptionally the firstborn four tracks of Disc 2. I was especially
thrilled when her “Lucia” was re-released on cd. (I likewise have
a vinyl recording in mint condition!) I buy everything of hers I may get my hands on. I in truth wish there was a biographical documentary regarding her life!!! If you read this Beverly, PLEASE!!!!

The new recording is not at all disappointing. What may I say except that one must buy this recording for one’s self to
discover or re-discover this remarkable, stimulating singer. There will always be those who look for faults and flaws in the voice. I don’t listen to those people. Purchase this cd and you will see why Beverly Sills still thrills with her magnificent instrument. Beverly, you are loved and remembered
with the utmost adoration and respect.

I likewise commend purchasing her recording of Moore’s “The Ballad of Baby Doe”. Her voice is perfectly exquisite and gives testimony that even back then, she possessed a voice that reaches far beyond the expected values of the listener. “Manon” is another must for any Beverly Sills fan!!!!

See all 12 client reviews…

Born in the Italian division of Newark, New Jersey, in 1938, Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero soon moved to Belleville, New Jersey and graduated Salutatorian of her high school in 1955.

One of Connie’s original national appearances was playing the accordion and singing “Daddy’s Little Girl” on the Arthur Godfrey Show. She was advised to lose the accordion and alter her name from Franconero to Francis.

In 1955, Connie signed with the MGM label, but had nine successive flops and was ready to be dropped, when she recorded a cover version of the 1923 hit, “Who’s Sorry Now?” The song debuted on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and this gave Connie her firstborn Top 10 Billboard hit.

Connie was introduced to an up and comer by the name of Bobby Darin, with whom she had a professional, as well as a romantic relationship. Their kinship ended, in part, due to her father’s disapproval of the young singer/songwriter. Darin ended up marrying actress Sandra Dee.

Connie continued having hits well into the 1960′s and she appeared in the films “Where The Boys Are”, “Follow The Boys”, “Looking For Love” and “When The Boys Meet The Girls.”

On the charts, Connie made it to the weekly Billboard Top 40 charts 35 times and had three #1 hits. Here’s a look at Connie’s twenty greatest hits:

1. Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool – 1960 – Connie’s initial number one hit was supposed to be the B side of “Jealous of You” but deejays made this the A side and “Jealous of You” became the B side, which still made it to #19 on the charts.

2. My Heart Has A Mind Of It’s Own – 1960 – in her career, Connie recorded in nine dissimilar languages and recorded a German version of this song.

3. Don’t Break The Heart That Loves You – 1962 – her last #1 hit was likewise recorded as a country hit by Margo Smith in 1978.

4. My Happiness – 1959 – there were five Top 30 versions of this song in 1948. Even Elvis Presley recorded this song for the duration of his original session at Sun Records.

5. Who’s Sorry Now – 1958 – Connie’s original huge hit also had five dissimilar Top 20 versions in 1923 and was featured in the Marx Brothers film “A Night In Casablanca.”

6. Where The Boys Are – 1961 – From the film of the same title. The flip side “No One” also went Top 40 for her.

7. Lipstick On Your Collar – 1959 – a modify from her sultry ballads, this upbeat tune made it to #5 on the weekly charts.

8. Together – 1961 – Paul Whiteman took this song to #1 in 1928 and was featured in the 1944 film “Since You Went Away.”

9. Among My Souvenirs – 1959 – Connie enjoyed recording classic ballads like this one, which had four Top 20 versions in 1928, including a #1 version by Paul Whiteman.

10. Many Tears Ago – 1960 – featured on her “Connie At The Copa” album.

11. Breaking In A Brand New Broken Heart – 1961 – Debby Boone did a country cover version of this tune in 1979.

12. Second Hand Love – 1962 – the title cut from her “Connie Francis Sings Second Hand Love” album.

13. Mama – 1960 – from her “Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites” album.

14. Frankie – 1959 – the flip side of “Lipstick On Your Collar” was written by Howard Greenfield and Neil Sedaka and was inspired by Frankie Avalon.

15. Vacation – 1962 – the only song Connie helped write, this summertime hit went to #9.

16. When The Boy In Your Arms (Is The Boy In Your Heart) – 1962 – a cover version of a Cliff Richard hit, Connie’s flip side “Baby’s First Christmas” likewise made it to the Top 30.

17. Stupid Cupid – another Greenfield/Sedaka penned tune was in the first place written for The Shepherd Sisters.

18. (He’s My) Dreamboat – 1961 – “Hollywood” is the B side of this hit, but didn’t make it into the on a weekly basis Top 40.

19. Follow The Boys – 1963 – Connie’s last Top 20 hit came from her film of the same title.

20. Teddy – 1960 – The B side of “Mama” (see #13) was written by Paul Anka.

In 1974, after a long hiatus, Connie was performing at the Westbury Music Fair in New York, where she was raped at the motel she was staying at. With the exception of an appearance, in 1978, on Dick Clark’s Live Wednesday TV show, Connie wouldn’t carry out again for seven years. Her attacker was never caught.

Connie and singer Gloria Estefan were collaborating on a screenplay based on Connie’s life called “Who’s Sorry Now?” but in 2009 the project was called off, because of divergences in the choice of screen writers.

Although Connie Francis is not in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, she has been named Pop Music’s #1 Female Vocalist from the 1950′s to mid 1960′s.

Most helpful client reviews

0 of 0 persons found the following review helpful.
Downloaded Track for MP3 Player
By Wes Jacobs
If you’re into the “Oldies” music from the 50′s, this is a will have to have track to own. Sure brings back memories. Excellent, flawless track.

See all 1 client reviews…

Following the death of Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis felt the need to express the outstanding wonderment and gratitude he kept for his former partner. The result was the book: Dean & Me (A love Story). In the book Lewis tells how a probability meeting and introduction with Martin lead to their teaming up with remarkable success. Success that unbelievably took an unknown comic with a pathetic pantomime act and a good, but unnoticed singer from being second class night club entertainers to being the hottest act in the country in a matter of just a few weeks.

With outstanding candor, Lewis describes how success affected each of the men and how their responses to new situations were not always the best selections or the admirable thing to do. For example when they got their original check for twenty-five thousand dollars, they naturally went to the casino rather than compensate the bills and they suffered the predictable results. Or how right after their rise to fame, these two married men had very public affairs with well recognise Hollywood starlets and closely destroyed their careers as well as their marriages.

In the end, after ten years the two men found themselves locked in a movie contract with a producer who could only see them in his idea of a formula for success. Dean always played the rather boring, self centered singer and Jerry the thirty something year old child idiot. They were disillusioned and did the only thing they could, they fulfilled their contracts and walked away not to speak to each other for twenty years.

Lewis proceeds the story to tell how they were publicly brought back together and then renewed their friendship out of the public’s eye.

This book has been around awhile, but I still liked reading it. Some humans might say it was just a book written to take vantage of the advertizing following a celebrities’ death. But it wasn’t. This book was written so a man could candidly tell in regards to his wonderment and gratitude of another man. And to set the record straight in regards to numerous things.

For a baby boomer, like me, this book filled in the gaps in my psychological result of perception learning and reasoning with regards to these two stars from my childhood. And for humans much younger it may give a glimpse at a time when celebrities became celebrities because they could entertain us with their abilities and skills

Jerry Lewis

Contains: The Nutty Professor, The Ladies’ Man, The Delicate Delinquent, Cinderfella, The Bell Boy, The Errand Boy, The Patsy, The Disorderly Orderly, The Family Jewels, and The Stooge.

The other titles include Lewis’s 1957 solo starring debut, The Delicate Delinquent, and his directing bow, The Bellboy (1960). The latter is an often-ingenious and plotless collection of gags with Jerry as a bellhop in Miami Beach’s Fountainebleau Hotel. His reputation doesn’t speak (making the connection with silent cinema more pointed), but in one uproarious sequence the obnoxious movie star “Jerry Lewis” comes to visit the hotel.

The Ladies Man puts Lewis alone in a boarding house full of women. This film’s bizarre sexual politics (and it is astounding cut-away set) helps explain why French critics such as Jean-Luc Godard consider Lewis a cinematic genius–Godard genuinely borrowed the cut-away set idea for his film Tout va bien. The Errand Boy is a cascade of gags strung together on the set of “Paramutual Pictures,” a movie studio that employs Lewis’s klutzy gofer; it features one of Jerry’s best musical miming routines. The Patsy is another good one, as nebbish Jerry is drafted into impersonating a famous deceased celebrity, but by 1965′s The Family Jewels the inspiration is flagging a bit.

Two of the titles are directed by Lewis’s mentor, Frank Tashlin. Cinderfella works a sentimental variation on the fairy tale; it’s slow and at times mawkish, but a heap of of Lewis’s physical stuff is top-notch. The Disorderly Orderly is livelier, with a hospital setting and some of Jerry’s most inspired babbling. The box also includes Lewis’s acknowledged high point, The Nutty Professor, in it is special-edition form. Its Jekyll-and-Hyde story is still the funniest and weirdest premise Lewis ever had. There are other Lewis films out there, but this box is unquestionably the cream of the career. If numerous of the jokes haven’t aged well (and those who can’t stand his mugging won’t be convinced even by this set), Lewis still seems a more interesting filmmaker than he’s commonly given credit for. Extras include numerous disappointing commentaries with Lewis and Steve Lawrence, plus a smattering of outtakes, numerous of them amusive and/or revealing of Lewis’s directing technique. –Robert Horton

Most helpful client reviews

33 of 33 persons found the following review helpful.
Jerry Mon Frer
By Gord Wilson
The author of a recent book in appreciation of Lewis’ film work, Enfant Terrible! notes that he’s been esteemed mainly not in the US but in France, by “those incomprehensible hedonistic strangers all over the sea.” This set affords an prospect to reappraise his standing in the cinema, and I find myself falling in with the hedonistic strangers in appreciation of his significant talents.

29 of 31 humans found the following review helpful.
Le Jerry!
By joseph Corey
I’m thrilled that Paramount has boxed up their 10 Jerry Lewis titles and cut the price. The titles include The Bellboy, Cinderfella, The Delicate Delinquent, The Disorderly Orderly, The Errand Boy, The Family Jewels, The Ladies Man, The Nutty Professor, The Patsy and The Stooge.

I’ve been entertianed by most of these films – having checked out the single releases – but was unwilling to buy them for $15 a pop. But now the price is right and I will be competent to torture my children with Jerry on the loose.

While the bonus features on most aren’t overwhelming, they seem enlightening to grasp what Jerry was doing at the time. He was an innovator using video monitors to aid direct himself.

I do hope Paramount is capable to put out a good low priced boxset of the Jerry Lewis – Dean Martin comedies.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Slapstick Slapschtick
By Mike McCLUSKEY
As a child– I’m 60– my dear mother used to give me a dollar to go to the movies
every Saturday. For that $1, I’d have sufficient to see a Triple-Feature amid Woody
Woodpecker/Mickey Mouse/Stooges’ shorts…buy a soda, a candybar, popcorn and return
home [on a 15-cent bus] with a nickle!
Jerry Lewis was my favorite. Well, here’s YOUR prospect for a bargain.
It may not be the same experience– it MAY cost a little bit more– but, you’ll OWN
the movies!
What a treat; what a bargain!
It’s oftentimes said that Jerry Lewis’s biggest fans are the French; little kids; and…
Jerry Lewis.
I think that Jerry has all the right in the world to have a big ego… he’s EARNED
the right.
I give it TEN STARS– the meter, unfortunatly, only goes to 5.
“Oh Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!”

See all 52 client reviews…