Lone Wolf's Reviews with Amazon.com: New VHS Releases October 2001
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September's new releases . . .

VHS New Releases
Editor, Doug Thomas October 31, 2001
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Word for Word


What Women Want    Icon
Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt, et al.
"What kind of knight in shining armor would I be if the man I love needs rescuing and I just let him walk out my door?"

--Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt) reverses roles with former chauvinist Nick Marshall (Mel Gibson) in What Women Want.

Rated: PG-13 \

VHS; Rated PG-13; NTSC format (US and Canada only)





Now Available on Video


Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon    Icon
Yun-Fat Chow, Michelle Yeoh, et al.
Hong Kong wuxia films, or martial arts fantasies, traditionally squeeze poor acting, slapstick humor, and silly story lines between elaborate fight scenes in which characters can literally fly. The Oscar®-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has no shortage of breathtaking battles, but it also has the dramatic soul of a Greek tragedy and the sweep of an epic romance. This is the work of director Ang Lee, who fell in love with movies while watching wuxia films as a youngster.…

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 English-dubbed edition also available

Rated: PG-13 \

VHS; Rated PG-13; ; English subtitles; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Recording "The Producers" - A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks    Icon
Mel Brooks, Nathan Lane, et al.
If you've ever wanted to sit in on a recording session for a Broadway cast album--one that just happens to be one of the most successful in history--you're in for a treat. Recording The Producers: A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks follows creator Brooks, stars Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and the rest of the company as they create the cast recording for the musical that won a record 12 Tony Awards.…

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Rated: NR

VHS; Not Rated; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


The Mummy Returns    Icon
Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, et al.
Proving that bigger is rarely better, The Mummy Returns serves up so much action and so many computer-generated effects that it quickly grows exhausting. In his zeal to establish a lucrative franchise, writer-director Stephen Sommers dispenses with such trivial matters as character development and plot logic, and charges headlong into an almost random buffet of minimum story and maximum mayhem, beginning with a prologue establishing the ominous fate of the Scorpion King.…

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Rated: PG-13 \

VHS; Rated PG-13; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Before Night Falls    Icon
Javier Bardem, Johnny Depp, et al.
Based on the posthumously published memoir by Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas, Before Night Falls is artist-director Julian Schnabel's second exercise in artist biography, but where Schnabel's earlier film Basquiat was relatively conventional, this film is bolder in both style and execution. It's rare to see an artist's life and work so elegantly interwoven.…

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Rated: R
Not for sale to persons under age 18.

VHS; Rated R; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


In The Mood For Love    Icon
Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, et al.
Winner of numerous awards, including Best Actor at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, In the Mood for Love confirmed that Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai is a major figure in world cinema. As passionate as it is politely discreet, his film takes place in 1962 Hong Kong, where neighboring apartment dwellers Mr. Chow (Tony Leung) and Mrs. Chan (Maggie Cheung) discover that their oft-absent spouses are having an affair. This realization parallels their own mutual attraction.…

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Rated: PG

VHS; Rated PG; ; English subtitles; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Bamboozled    Icon
Damon Wayans, Savion Glover, et al.
Director Spike Lee has never shied away from controversy, and with Bamboozled he tackles a thorny mix of racism and how images are bought and sold. A frustrated TV writer named Delacroix (Damon Wayans), unable to break his contract, tries to get fired by proposing a new minstrel show, complete with dancers in blackface. But the network loves the idea, and Delacroix hires two street performers (Savion Glover, who is truly the finest tap dancer since Fred Astaire, and Tommy Davidson).…

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Rated: R
Not for sale to persons under age 18.

VHS; Rated R; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Shadow of the Vampire    Icon
John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, et al.
Clever, engaging, and boosted by the sublime casting of Willem Dafoe as Nosferatu actor Max Schreck, Shadow of the Vampire is a film full of good ideas that are only partially developed. Its premise is ripe with possibilities, but the movie's too slight to register much impact, so you're left to relish its delightful performances and director E. Elias Merhige's affectionately tongue-in-cheek homage to a landmark of German silent cinema. John Malkovich is aptly loony as the eccentric director F.W. Murnau.…

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Rated: R
Not for sale to persons under age 18.

VHS; Rated R; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Cherry Falls    Icon

Cherry Falls is a small town with some dirty secrets--secrets that come to light when a psychotic killer starts killing teenagers. The killer has an unusual criterion, however: only virgins are marked for death. Cherry Falls is a striking movie that never got released in theaters, probably because marketers didn't know what to do with it. It's not a winking, smirk-while-you-shriek twist on the genre like Scream, nor is it a broad parody like Scary Movie--instead, Cherry Falls tries to turn the clichés of slasher movies into something that will do more than make you jump in shock, and it largely succeeds.…

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Rated: R
Not for sale to persons under age 18.

VHS; Rated R; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


See more New & Future releases.




The Sopranos Sweepstakes


No one's got troubles like Tony Soprano--if one family doesn't kill him, the other will. To celebrate the November 6 release of The Sopranos: The Complete Second Season, HBO and Amazon.com have teamed up to give 10 fans the ultimate gift basket. Answer our trivia questions, and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a T-shirt, mugs, a book, and more!




Editor's Pick


Places in the Heart    Icon
Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, et al.
Unfortunately, most folks remember Sally Field's "You really like me" Oscar acceptance speech more than the heartfelt performance that won her the award. Writer-director Robert Benton's film of his hometown (Waxahachie, Texas) during the depression finds the suddenly widowed Edna Spalding (Field) trying to save her farm. The beautiful film--with an unforgettable, graceful ending--is spiced with an outstanding cast (including John Malkovich, Danny Glover, Amy Madigan, and Ed Harris). The movie has been hard to find over the years but now returns to video.

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Rated: PG

VHS; Rated PG; NTSC format (US and Canada only)





Boo to You


Halloween Video Store
Spook yourself and your friends with treats from our Halloween Video Store. Ghoulish videos, scary stories, and gory tales will keep you wide-eyed in terror till the wee hours of the night.




More Hot New Releases


Three Mo' Tenors    Icon
Thomas Young, Roderick Dixon, et al.

Rated: NR

VHS; Not Rated; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Anna Kournikova - Basic Elements: My Complete Fitness Guide    Icon
Anna Kournikova, et al.

Rated: NR

VHS; Not Rated; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


New York (7 Episode PBS Boxed Set)    Icon
New York-Compelling Portrait, et al.

Rated: NR

VHS; Not Rated; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Sister Wendy's American Collection, Box Set    Icon
Sister Wendy, et al.

Rated: NR

VHS; Not Rated; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


The IMAX Space Collection (Hail Columbia/The Dream Is Alive/Blue Planet/Destiny in Space/Mission to Mir)    Icon

Rated: NR

VHS; Not Rated; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Boogeymen - The Killer Compilation    Icon

Rated: Unrated

VHS; Unrated; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Barbie in The Nutcracker    Icon

Rated: NR

VHS; Not Rated; Clamshell; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Survivor - Season Two - The Australian Outback: The Greatest & Most Outrageous Moments    Icon
Jeff Probst, et al.

Rated: NR

VHS; Not Rated; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Dark Days    Icon

Rated: NR

VHS; Not Rated; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


Cirque du Soleil - Journey of Man    Icon
Ian McKellen, et al.

Rated: G

VHS; Rated G; NTSC format (US and Canada only)


See our list of new videos




Featured Bargain of the Month


The French Connection    Icon
Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, et al.
William Friedkin's classic policier was propelled to box-office glory, and a fistful of Oscars, in 1972 by its pedal-to-the-metal filmmaking and fashionably cynical attitude toward law enforcement. Gene Hackman's Popeye Doyle, a brutally pushy New York City narcotics detective, is a dauntless crime fighter and Vietnam-era "pig," a reckless vulgarian whose antics get innocent people killed.…

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Rated: R
Not for sale to persons under age 18.

VHS; Rated R; NTSC format (US and Canada only)





Happening Hardware


Whether you're committed to your VHS investment, collecting movies not yet released on DVD, or recording TV shows for time-shifted viewing, VCRs are still crucial. We offer a terrific selection of VHS decks, including the latest digital TV servers. Integrating a DVD with your VCR and TV? Try a video switcher. Looking for a DVD player? We've got those, too!


See all home theater products




Advance Orders


Order Now, Get Them Later

See more top future videos




You Won't Believe Your Eye


Monsters, Inc. Opens November 2
Since the very first bedtime, children around the world have known that after their parents turn off the lights, monsters lie waiting behind closet doors, ready to emerge. But what they didn't know is that the monsters are as scared of us as we are of them! Get the whole story on this different world in Monsters, Inc., the new animated comedy from the makers of Toy Story. Join Kid Scarers Mike and Sulley and find out what it's like to do their job--it's harder than you think!

Visit our Monsters, Inc. Store for books, a trailer, photos, and more




Used & Collectible Videos


Gotta have the hottest titles, but worried about your budget? Check out Amazon.com's Rare & Used VHS Store, where you can find low prices on bestselling videos along with out-of-print videos available in limited quantities. Check back often: more titles are always being added! Here's what's currently hot:




Two New Video & DVD Delivers



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