The Outsiders: The Complete Novel (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)Coppola's original version was quite faithful to Hinton's book and this new edit is even more so. He has put back in 22 more minutes, most noticeably at the beginning and end of the movie. This new footage opens up the film more. We are introduced to the greasers much earlier on now that Coppola isn't reigned in by the dictates of test screenings. He is able to take the time to immerse the audience in this richly textured world shot in glorious widescreen by Stephen Burum who adopts a look that evokes another epic about troubled youth, Rebel Without A Cause (1955). The film is drenched in the golden hues of warm sunrises and sunsets like something right out of Gone with the Wind (1939).
Another significant change has Coppola replacing all of his father's beautiful, classical score in favour of period rock `n' roll music. In some cases, like the opening scene where Ponyboy is jumped by some Socs, it works and in others, like the whimsical surf music that plays over the scene where the Socs jump Johnny and Ponyboy, it feels awkward and out of place. Part of the film's original charm was its moments of `50s style melodrama, as epitomized by the film's orchestral soundtrack, and this diminished by the newly inserted period music that could be right out of an episode of Crime Story. Hinton's books are timeless with their universal themes and the original music reflected that. This new music, while accurate for its time period, contributes to a loss of some of the timeless feel.
On the first DVD is an audio commentary with director Francis Ford Coppola. He addresses the changes in the soundtrack by saying that after all these years he wanted to move away from a score that commented on what was happening to music that the characters would actually be listening to. The filmmaker delivers another top notch commentary full of smart observations and talks at length about why he prefers this cut.
There is an additional commentary featuring Diane Lane, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Rob Lowe and Matt Dillon. Coppola invited all of them back to see this new cut of the film with Lowe and Dillon recorded separately. This is an entertaining track that fans will love. It's great to hear these actors talk about this movie after all these years.
The second disc kicks things off with a retrospective look at the movie, entitled, "Stay Gold: A Look Back at The Outsiders." In a nice touch, we see Lane, Macchio, Swayze and Howell being reunited with Coppola at his ranch where they recorded their commentary. This is an excellent look at the movie with all kinds of good, on set footage.
"S.E. Hinton on Location in Tulsa" features the publicity-shy author revisiting the locations that Coppola used in the movie, including the drive-in which still exists. She talks about how Coppola worked closely with her on the set to make sure that the script was true to her book.
"The Casting of The Outsiders" has casting director now producer Fred Roos take us through the casting process with audition footage from back in the day. People like Kate Capshaw and Adam Baldwin tried out for the film. Anthony Michael Hall even read for the role of Ponyboy!
A nice addition is "Readings," with some of the cast who came back for these featurettes reading their character descriptions from Hinton's novel.
"NBC News Today Segment: The Outsiders Started by School Petition." This is a new story done during the film's original release about how a class of California school kids wrote a letter to Coppola asking him to make Hinton's book into a movie.
There are six "Additional Scenes" with more footage from the opening that is even more faithful to the book but the rest of the scenes amount to extensions of existing ones.
Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.

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In 1983, Francis Ford Coppola's film of S.E. Hinton's novel struck a powerful chord with audiences, capturing the intense feelings of being caught between childhood and adulthood, and not belonging anywhere. Decades later, Coppola has revisited the film and reintegrated 22 minutes of character-enriching footage, including a new beginnning and ending more true to the book. A rousing new rock-n-roll soundtrack featuring six songs from Elvis Presley and other music greats make this new version of The Outsiders one of movie history's great rediscoveries.

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North and South: The Complete Collection (Books One, Two & Three) (1986) Review

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(More customer reviews)North and South is truly one of the great miniseries, and in fact in my opinion surpasses other great Civil War films such as "Gone With the Wind." Based on the John Jakes trilogy of novels, this miniseries spans the period from the 1840s and the Mexican War, through the aftermath of the American Civil War. It tells the story of two families, the Hazards of Pennsylvania, and the Mains of South Carolina. The Hazards are the owners of a great steel manufactory. The Mains are the powerful owners of a sprawling Southern rice plantation. George Hazard and Orry Main, the scions of their respective families, form a friendship while attending West Point that sees them through the Mexican War and which is tested as each takes his region's side in the Civil War.
The miniseries is reasonably faithful to the novels, and where it departs, the changes are generally benign. The story is also quite faithful to history, and both North and South are portrayed with respect, although the story harshly indicts the institution of slavery, and reminds Americans of the incredible fact that this evil was a basic fact of our country for a very long time.
Book one of North and South is superb. It spans the period from about 1840 through the outbreak of the Civil War. The portrayal of the Mexican War is quite good, and the story of George and Orry graduating West Point and fighting together in the Mexican War makes for a fine story. The film does very well at recreating the attitudes of Northerners and Southerners during this period--conflicting attitudes which ultimately could not be reconciled by the normal political institutions of the American republic and which instead culminated in the Civil War. The battle scenes are very good and surpass what we normally expect of a miniseries.
Book Two takes place immediately following the firing upon Ft. Sumpter. It is again very well done. This is one of the very best straight Civil War films. It is not without flaws. Just as in the novel, the Elkanah Bent sub-plot adds very little to this story. This is true despite the fact that the Bent sub-plot in the Book Two film bears essentially no resembence to the novel. But overall, this is a fine story. Lloyd Bridges in particular does a fine job in his portrayal of Jefferson Davis. Hal Holbrook is a wonderful Abraham Lincoln. Here again the battle scenes are very good. My only quibble is that the soldiers' uniforms are too natty and pristine. Real Civil War soldiers were never very well turned out. The combat and conditions were too tough for that, and the supply trains too inefficient.
Book Three takes place after the end of the Civil War, and is so bad as to be unwatchable. I'm not fooling. The way I look at Book Three is that the DVD makes a fine beer coaster while watching the excellent Books One and Two. Not only is Book Three unwatchable, but it totally departs from the story as set forth in the novel. (as far as I could tell-I mean it when I say that Three is unwatchable). Book Three of Jakes' novels was far and away the weakest of the three, but it was somewhat readable. Not in the miniseries, however.
North and South is imperfect, but it is still so good as to rate five stars. It really is a great story of the Civil War era. James Read and Patrick Swayze turn in great performances as George and Orry. Read was sufficiently good in this part that I am surprised that this role did not lead to greater things for him.
The flaws. First of all, as in all John Jakes stories, the characters, particularly the villains, are one-dimensional at best. Virgilia Hazard, Elkanah Bent, Ashton Main--these characters are complete villains and in real life no one in their right mind would want to live on the same continent with such scoundrels. I have always thought that this caricature-like characterization is the weakest aspect of John Jakes' writing, and these flaws, unfortunately, are faithfully recreated in this miniseries.
The good news is that as far as I can tell, this DVD collection is uncut or close to it. I've read the novels, seen the miniseries, and owned the VHS version of the miniseries, and these DVDs seem to be complete. Further, the color and sound on the DVDs is very good. Overall this is a tremenous value that many fans of North and South have waited for for a long time.

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NORTH AND SOUTH:COMPLETE COLLECTION - DVD Movie

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The Beast: Season One Review

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(More customer reviews)Overall this show 'wowed' me a lot more then I ever thought it would, though I was never sold on the title they chose. Surprisingly good, despite some new comers and a gritty underbelly. I believe this is the last work Patrick Swayze did, before his death from cancer, September 14, 2009.
Mr. Swayze made his acting debut in the 1983 movie 'The Outsiders' directed by Francis Ford Coppola, which also starred several other beginners, including Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane, and Matt Dillon among others. For those interested in more about Mr. Swayze, his book is coming out September 29, 2009, aptly titled 'The Time of My Life'.
The show, Season 1, which contains thirteen episodes, originally aired on January 15, 2009, on the A&E Channel, is about a veteran FBI agent (Swayze) who gets a new partner (Travis Fimmel), and is not too excited about it. The new 'wet behind the ears' partner soon learns that his veteran partner is probably working on both sides of the fence (legal and illegal) and has to decide what to do when he gets approached to spy and rat on him (Swayze).
Great story, great troubled characters, some incredible action scenes, smart and fun dialogue, nice set design. I was truly amazed on how good it was.
Unfortunately, there is only one season. The show got canceled due to concerns about Mr. Swayze's health issues (pancreatic cancer). It's a loss to those of us that came to love the series.
Update:
While I didn't like that they canceled show, because I loved it so much, I'm glad they did now, so Mr. Swayze could have that time with family and friends before he passed on. I feel like this series was some of his best work.

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Patrick Swayze is back and gunning for justice as Charles Barker, an unorthodox but effective FBI veteran in The Beast. Though considered by many, including rookie partner agent Ellis Dove (Travis Fimmel), to be the best in the business, FBI undercover operative Barker has a style that is nothing if not unconventional. In pushing Dove to immerse himself more deeply into the characters they create, Barker makes it clear how the stresses and dangers of working undercover make normal relationships impossible. As he and his mentor are tested by cases that pit them against ruthless drug lords, dangerous arms dealers, corrupt cops and deadly killers-for-hire, Dove also struggles with his own secret: he's being asked to cooperate with an FBI investigation of Barker, who's suspected of going rogue. And as Dove is pressured to become an informant, Barker launches his own investigation into a conspiracy within the Bureau that's protecting a secret cadre of agents operating outside the law.

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