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Release: February 10, 2009

$6.99

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Time to Kill, A (BD) John Grisham's bestseller A Time to Kill hits the screen with incendiary force, directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, The Client). Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey and Kevin Spacey portray the principals in a murder trial that brings a small Mississippi town's racial tensions to the flashpoint. Amid a frenzy of activist marches, Klan terror, media clamor and brutal riots, an unseasoned but idealistic young attorney mounts a stirring courtroom battle for justice. The superb ensemble also includes Brenda Fricker, Oliver Platt, Charles S. Dutton, Ashley Judd, Patrick McGoohan, Chris Cooper and both Donald and Keifer Sutherland. These and other talents make A Time to Kill "one ofthe year's most powerful films" (Jeffrey Lyons, SNEAK PREVIEW/ABC WORLD NEWS NOW).

Release: January 6, 2026

$6.99

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After a solar flare devastates the eastern hemisphere, a mercenary treasure hunter travels into the ruins of Europe to recover the Mona Lisa and discovers a much bigger fight.

Release: September 25, 2012

$6.99

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A troubled family moves into a haunted Los Angeles mansion where restless spirits and buried secrets close in on them.

Release: May 21, 2024

$7.99

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"The Beauty of Beauties", the spectacular historical epic that swept the Golden Horse Awards (winning for best feature film, director, actor, color cinematography, and art direction), is a story drawn from China's legendary Warring States Period,. The King of Yueh, Goujian (Lei Zhao) , is defeated and imprisoned by the King of Wu, Fucha (Mu Chu). But when Goujian returns to his much-maligned homeland, he is determined to defeat Wu once and for all, with a secret weapon: a local beauty named Xi Si (Ching Chiang), who is sent to serve Fucha and lure him to his doom. SPECIAL FEATURES: Brand new 4K Remaster from the Original Negatives High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray in 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio 2.0 Original Mandarin Mono Newly Translated English Subtitles An Interview with Oriental Cinema Expert Tony Rayns Original Trailer Restoration Comparison

Release: October 29, 2019

$6.99

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Similar From the Brand Questions Reviews The Blob (1988) [Blu-ray] The Blob (1988) [Blu-ray] Products related to this item Sponsored Xtendlife CX8 Heart Health Supplement for Cardiovascular Support, Circulation, and Arterial Health - with Vitamin K2 MK7, D3, Tocotrienols, and Sea Buckthorn-30 Day Supply Xtendlife CX8 Heart Health Supplement for Cardiovascular Support, Circulation, and ...

Release: October 29, 2019

$24.99(Not Free for Subscribers)

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A gelatinous alien mass crashes to Earth and begins consuming everything in its path, growing larger with every victim.

Release: October 29, 2019

$7.99

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A gelatinous alien lifeform crashes to Earth and begins consuming everyone in its path in this gory 1988 remake of the classic monster movie.

Release: June 10, 2008

$6.99

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Top-rated miniseries! Set in 1897, Print Ritter and his estranged nephew Tom Harte become the reluctant guardians of five abused and abandoned Chinese girls. Ritter and Harte's attempts to care for the girls are complicated by their responsibility to deliver a herd of horses while avoiding a group of bitter rivals intent on kidnapping the girls for their own purposes.

Release: September 23, 2014

$7.99

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A successful physician and devoted family man, John Dolittle (Murphy) seems to have the world by the tail, until a long-suppresses talent possessed as a child--the ability to communicate with animals--is suddenly reawakened with a vengeance! Now every creature within squawking distance wants the good doctor's advice, unleashing an outrageous chain of events that turn his world upside down! Featuring an all-star menagerie of voice talent (including Chris Rock, John Leguizamo, Norm MacDonald, Albert Brooks, Gary Shandling and Ellen DeGeneres), this wild and woolly free-for-all is your prescription for hilarious hijinks and "mischievous fun!" (The New York Times)

Release: November 9, 2021

$6.99

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During a time of peace, a deadly sword that bestows great power upon it's wielder was divided and hidden. After the emperor dies, a deranged rebel seizes power and stages a massacre during his search for the blade, leaving only one survivor. Now, the young daughter of a great general is all that stands between a tyrant and his quest for domination.

Release: August 30, 2022

$8.99(Not Free for Subscribers)

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IF THERE IS BUT ONE LIFE, THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO DIE. For his 1988 big-budget EuroSleaze classic inspired by EYES WITHOUT A FACE, director Jess Franco brought together an international all-star cast - including Helmut Berger (THE DAMNED), Brigitte Lahaie (THE FEMALE EXECUTIONER), Chris Mitchum (SUMMERTIME KILLER), Stéphane Audran (COUP DE TORCHON), Caroline Munro (MANIAC) and Telly Savalas - for a glossily depraved tale of disfigurement, dismemberment, libidinous brutes, Nazi surgeons, Parisian discos, face-ripping, throat-stabbing, eyeball-piercing and what may be Uncle Jess' most rewardingly ambiguous ending ever. Anton Diffring (CIRCUS OF HORRORS) and Florence Guérin (CALIGULA & MESSALINA) co-star - with appearances by Howard Vernon (THE AWFUL DR. ORLOFF) and Lina Romay - in this unapologetically graphic shocker, now scanned for the first time in 4K from the original negative with all-new Special Features. Two-disc set includes the American 4K Ultra HD premiere and remastered HD Blu-ray. SPECIAL FEATURES: Audio Commentary With Director Jess Franco And Actress Lina Romay The Female Predator - Interview With Actress Brigitte Lahaie Facial Recognition - Interview With Kim Newman, Author Of Nightmare Movies Parisian Encounters - Face-To-Face With Actress Caroline Munro Predators Of The Night - Interview With Stephen Thrower, Author Of Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema Of Jesús Franco EPK Interviews With Actors Helmut Berger, Chris Mitchum And Telly Savalas Archival Interview With Director Jess Franco Archival Interview With Actor Chris Mitchum Selected Scene Commentary With Chris Mitchum THERESE II: THE MISSION (1987) Parody Short Starring Brigitte Lahaie French & English Trailers

Release: July 16, 2019

$6.99

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Footlight Parade is sheer cinematic joy. In this Depression-era romp, a timid stenographer (Ruby Keeler) removes her glasses and wow! she's a star. A gee-whiz tenor (Dick Powell) asserts his independence. Plucky chorines tap, greedy hangers-on get their comeuppances, and an indefatigable producer/dancer (James Cagney) and his Girl Friday (Joan Blondell) work showbiz miracles to stage live prologues for talkie houses to keep their company afloat during hard times. Honeymoon Hotel, By a Waterfall and Shanghai Lil are the shows, directed by Busby Berkeley and filled with imagination-bending sets, startling camera angles, kaleidoscopic pageantry and a 20,000-gallon-per-minute waterfall. Curtain up!

$7.99

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This Formula One documentary charts the sport's perilous golden age and the push to make Grand Prix racing safer.

Release: March 25, 2025

$6.99

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Product Description After barely surviving a violent attack by an elusive serial killer, a fierce crime boss finds himself forming an unlikely partnership with a local detective to catch the sadistic killer simply known as K. Review an action movie to entertain yourself on a Friday night --Cinema Escapist The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, but remixed within South Korea s trademark blood-soaked vengeance-seeking sensibilities. --Film Inquiry an energetic sensibility that heralds a new voice on the South Korean film scene. --Houston Chronicle See more

Release: November 7, 2023

$7.99

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Celebrate the 35th Anniversary of an essential holiday classic, remastered for 4K Ultra HD, and featuring hours of never before released special features. Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a modern-day “Scrooge” – a mean, nasty, uncaring, and unforgiving TV exec ready to unleash a live broadcast of “A Christmas Carol” around the world. But, before the night is over, he’ll be visited by his dead-as-a-doornail boss (John Forsythe), a maniacal cab driver from the past (David Johansen), a present-day fairy packing punches (Carol Kane) and a ghoulish, seven-foot headless messenger from the future. Both hysterical and heartfelt, SCROOGED is an updated take on a familiar favorite. Yule love it!

Release: February 24, 2026

$7.99

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*This listing is for the standard edition version and does NOT come with a limited edition slipcase!* Who next becomes the keeper of the beast that lives on human flesh? During a New Year’s Eve snowmobiling trip, Jenny (Rabid’s Riva Spier), her boyfriend Marty (The Grey Fox’s Murray Ord), and their friend Chrissy (Sheri McFadden) veer off path to explore a patch of private property. Stranded by a heavy snowfall, they stumble upon an abandoned hotel and seek refuge for the night. But before long, they meet a menacing woman (Rad’s Georgie Collins) who shares the building with her knife-wielding son (The High Country’s Bill Grove) and a mysterious creature who feeds on human flesh. As the visiting trio comes under attack, they struggle to make a safe escape – and maintain their grip on reality. Featuring haunting performances from its entire cast and a typically atmospheric score by Paul Zaza (My Bloody Valentine), James Makichuk’s GHOSTKEEPER is an essential entry in the New Year’s Eve horror canon and a dread-inducing descent into wintery isolation and madness. Long regarded as the Canadian answer to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, this slasher staple is a Canuxploitation classic and one of the enduring highlights of the tax shelter era. Bonus Features: 1. Newly scanned and restored in 4K from the only known complete 35mm theatrical print by Canadian International Pictures 2. New audio commentary featuring stars Riva Spier and Murray Ord, plus co-writer/associate producer Doug MacLeod 3. New audio commentary featuring The Hysteria Continues! and author/film historian Amanda Reyes 4. New episode of The New World Pictures Podcast on Ghostkeeper 5. Ghostsneaker (2025, 16 min.) – New interview with film historian Chris Alexander 6. The Window of Opportunity (2025, 15 min.) – New interview with story consultant Dave Makichuk 7. I Need It Friday (2025, 10 min.) – New interview with composer Paul Zaza 8. Zaza Begins (2025, 16 min.) – Zaza reflects on his early films 9. Hollywood Canadians (2025, 14 min.) – Filmmakers Paul Lynch (Prom Night) and David Winning (Storm) reflect on Jim Makichuk 10. Calgary Underground Film Festival Q&A (2024, 41 min.) – Post-screening discussion featuring Ord, MacLeod, and Dave Makichuk 11. Archival interview with actress Georgie Collins (2011, 14 min.) – A conversation moderated by Ord and edited by Jim Makichuk 12. Archival interview with cinematographer John Holbrook (2011, 7 min.) 13. Alternate opening (1982, 2 min.) 14. Ghostkeeper 2 (2013, 6 min.) – Jim Makichuk’s Kickstarter video pitching a sequel 15. Night School (1971, 2 min.) – Early Jim Makichuk short 16. Booklet featuring a new essay by film journalist/programmer Yasmina Ketita and an essay on the film’s production history by Eric Volmers 17. Reversible cover artwork 18. Alternate French language audio track 19. English SDH subtitles

Release: December 15, 2020

$6.99

Description

Even though he recently lost his job as a department-store clerk, Steve Mason buys an electric train set for a child he scarcely knows. It must be Christmastime. Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh are warmly matched in Holiday Affair, a seasonal favorite scripted by Isobel Lennart (later to adapt Mitchum's The Sundowners) and directed by Hope/Crosby "road movies" veteran Don Hartman.

Release: August 28, 2018

$6.99

Description

Wade Hunnicutt is a big man who casts a big shadow, one that looms over the Texas backwoodsmen who work his land…over the beautiful, embittered wife he cheats on…and over the sons – one from marriage and one illegitimate – who strive for their father’s respect. Robert Mitchum “gives one of his greatest performances” (Michael Barson, The Illustrated Who’s Who of Hollywood Directors) as Wade, and Vincente Minnelli directs this sprawling, emotionally volatile tale of an epic clash between generations. In early-career roles, George Peppard and George Hamilton costar as Wade’s sons, determined to be their own men, yet in danger of repeating their father’s life-crippling legacy of lust and violence.

Release: November 25, 2025

$7.99

Description

In this wildly original tale, Mr. Powell plays a big-city confidence man who awakens from a nine-year amnesia to discover he has become the manager of a small town pottery works, joined by the Elks and married Miss Loy. Partnered in a phony oil scam, he continues the charade only to find Miss Loy’s about to divorce him for being such a fuddy-duddy! His problem: How to get the dough, avoid discovery and re-win the heart of his wife. Lux Radio Theater broadcast with Myrna Loy and Cary Grant (6/30/1941); FITZPATRICK TRAVELTALKS Short Subject “CAVALCADE OF SAN FRANCISCO”; MGM CARTOON “The Milky Way; Original Theatrical Trailer

Release: August 31, 2021

$6.99

Description

The creator of “Hamilton” and the director of “Crazy Rich Asians” invite you to a cinematic event, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big. Lights up on Washington Heights. The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tightknit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life. “In the Heights” fuses Lin‐Manuel Miranda’s kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu’s lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience. Bonus Content: Paciencia y Fe: Making In The Heights Paciencia y Fe: Making In The Heights Paciencia y Fe: When You're Home Paciencia y Fe: Hundreds of Stories Paciencia y Fe: Alza La Bandera/Raise the Flag Paciencia y Fe: Wepa! Paciencia y Fe: That Music in the Air Paciencia y Fe: Who Keeps our Legacies? In The Heights Sing-a-long In The Heights Sing-a-long In The Heights Sing-a-long 96,000 Sing-a-long 96,000 Sing-a-long 96,000 Sing-a-long

Release: August 31, 2021

$7.99

Description

The creator of “Hamilton” and the director of “Crazy Rich Asians” invite you to a cinematic event, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big. Lights up on Washington Heights. The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tightknit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life. “In the Heights” fuses Lin‐Manuel Miranda’s kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu’s lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience.

Release: November 21, 2023

$6.99

Description

After the recent death of their father, two estranged sisters find themselves being stalked by a malevolent being known as The Jester. Revealing himself to be more than just a man in a mask, the evil entity begins to further torment the inhabitants of this small town on Halloween night. The path to defeating this unholy monster lies with the two sisters who realize that the only way to survive is to figure out how to right the wrongs of their dark past.

Release: April 8, 2014

$6.99

Description

Behind the headlines, beyond the spotlight… lies Justin's real story. Get to know Justin Bieber as only the lucky few do – honest, funny and totally captivating – through incredible performances and exclusive interviews with the star himself. This is the compelling documentary that goes backstage to reveal Justin's real story: his insights on evolving as an artist, the relationships that matter most to him, and what it's like to come of age in the spotlight. It also includes thrilling never-before-seen concert footage, unprecedented behind-the-scenes access and special appearances from manager Scooter Braun, Pattie Mallette and many more. Bonus Content: Includes a digital copy of Justin Bieber's Believe (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.) Deleted and Extended Scenes

Release: July 21, 2015

$6.99

Description

A young martial artist in New York searches for enlightenment while battling a flamboyant crime boss and rival fighter.

Release: October 25, 2016

$6.99

Description

MR. CHURCH tells the story of a unique friendship that develops when a little girl and her dying mother retain the services of a talented cook - Henry Joseph Church. What begins as a six month arrangement instead spans fifteen years, and creates a family bond that lasts forever.

Release: November 22, 2022

$7.99

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Brutal Savagery in a Future World ! AKA - Una gota de sangre para morir amando, Clockwork Terror, To Love, Perhaps to Die In a violent, dystopian consumer-fed future, David (Chris Mitchum - Summertime Killer) blackmails nurse Ana (Sue Lyon - Stanley Kubrick's Lolita) after witnessing her commit a murder. When Ana and Victor (Jean Sorel - Perversion Story) discover David is a known gang member with an extensive criminal past, they make a plan to turn the tables and use him for their own clandestine purposes. In 1971 Stanley Kubrick changed dystopian cinema forever with A Clockwork Orange. Two years later, transgressive Spanish genre director Eloy de la Iglesia unleashed this thought provoking and beautifully shot future-world that was also known as A Clockwork Terror. Now Available For the first time on Blu-ray, Cauldron Films presents a new, eye popping 2K restoration of the Spanish producer's cut. Details Blu-ray 2K restoration of the Spanish Producer's cut from the negative / 1080p presentation English audio with optional English SDH subtitles Spanish audio with optional English subtitles Newly edited Archival interview with Chris Mitchum Dubbing in a Blue World Video essay by Film Scholar Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes Commentary by Film Historian Kat Ellinger Image Gallery 1973 / Spain / Thriller / Director - Eloy de la Iglesia / 2.40:1 / 97 min. /

Release: May 12, 2020

$6.99

Description

Bodies are mysteriously disappearing all over town, and a new wax museum has just opened. Is there a connection? But of course! In this horror classic, Fay Wray (King Kong) stars as the intended next victim of a mad wax sculptor obsessed with her resemblance to one of his prior creations. Glenda Farrell plays a quintessential wisecracking newspaper reporter, and noted actor Lionel Atwill is the deranged artist who loses his studio to a fire set by his partner. Filmed in the early Two-Color Technicolor process, The Mystery of the Wax Museum was considered a lost film for decades, until a well-worn print was discovered nearly 50 years ago. Thanks to the meticulous new restoration presented on this disc, the film can now be experienced as intended.

Release: April 4, 2017

$6.99

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Synopsis: In OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY, when the CEO (Jennifer Aniston) tries to close her hard-partying brother's branch, he (T.J. Miller) and his Chief Technical Officer (Jason Bateman) must rally their co-workers and host an epic office Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and close a sale that will save their jobs.

Release: October 31, 2006

$6.99

Description

Phantom of the Opera (BD) From director Joel Schumacher ("Phone Booth," "A Time to Kill") comes this big-screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash-hit stage musical! The Phantom, a disfigured musical genius, haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera, waging a reign of terror over its occupants. He takes an interest in a young singer and, through tutelage and terror, helps her rise to stardom, only to see her fall in love with a handsome young man. The Phantom vows revenge and kidnaps her to be his eternal bride, but ultimately is transformed by the compassion of the young woman, and the love she feels for her young man, making the ultimate sacrifice in order that she may live and be happy. Starring Gerard Butler ("300," "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life"), Emmy Rossum ("The Day After Tomorrow," "Mystic River"), Oscar-nominee Miranda Richardson ("The Hours," "Sleepy Hollow"), Emmy and Golden Globe-nominee Patrick Wilson ("Hard Candy," TV's "Angels in America"), Simon Callow ("Shakespeare in Love") and Ciarán Hinds ("Road to Perdition," "The Sum of All Fears"). Nominated for three Academy Awards!

Release: October 31, 2006

$7.99

Description

Phantom of the Opera (BD) From director Joel Schumacher ("Phone Booth," "A Time to Kill") comes this big-screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash-hit stage musical! The Phantom, a disfigured musical genius, haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera, waging a reign of terror over its occupants. He takes an interest in a young singer and, through tutelage and terror, helps her rise to stardom, only to see her fall in love with a handsome young man. The Phantom vows revenge and kidnaps her to be his eternal bride, but ultimately is transformed by the compassion of the young woman, and the love she feels for her young man, making the ultimate sacrifice in order that she may live and be happy. Starring Gerard Butler ("300," "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life"), Emmy Rossum ("The Day After Tomorrow," "Mystic River"), Oscar-nominee Miranda Richardson ("The Hours," "Sleepy Hollow"), Emmy and Golden Globe-nominee Patrick Wilson ("Hard Candy," TV's "Angels in America"), Simon Callow ("Shakespeare in Love") and Ciarán Hinds ("Road to Perdition," "The Sum of All Fears"). Nominated for three Academy Awards!

Release: August 18, 2020

$6.99

Description

The Terror: Infamy, chronicles a series of bizarre deaths that haunt a Japanese American community.

Release: June 21, 2022

$7.99

Description

Cantopop superstars Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung display the androgynous magnetism that made them icons as doomed lovers in this emblematic film of Hong Kong’s Second New Wave, directed by pioneering queer melodrama master Stanley Kwan. Rouge bridges past and present in its tragic romance between a humble courtesan and the wayward scion of a wealthy family, who embrace death by suicide pact amid the opulent teahouses of 1930s Hong Kong. Fifty years later, she returns to the city-state to find him, drawing a young contemporary couple (Alex Man and Emily Chu) into her quest to rekindle a passion that may be as illusory as time itself. With its lush mise-en-scène and transcendently melancholy mood, this sensuous ghost story is an exquisite, enduringly resonant elegy for both lost love and vanishing history. DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES New 4K digital restoration, approved by director Stanley Kwan, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack Alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio New conversation between Kwan and filmmaker Sasha Chuk Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema, a 1997 documentary by Kwan exploring the representation of queerness and LGBT identity in Chinese film Still Love You After All These, a 1997 memoir film by Kwan about his Hong Kong identity Trailer New English subtitle translation PLUS: An essay by film programmer and critic Dennis Lim Top About this item Similar From the Brand Reviews Rouge (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Release: April 24, 2012

$6.99

Description

Live performance from the acclaimed US guitarist. Satriani has received a total of 15 Grammy nominations for 'Best Rock Instrumental', testament to both his ability as a musician and the longevity of his career. This performance, drawn from his 2010 world tour, 'The Wormhole Tour', captures him live in Montreal and features tracks including 'Ice 9', 'The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing' and 'Big Bad Moon'.

Release: September 26, 2017

$6.99

Description

Sit back and let the evening go with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the 1978 musical spectacular featuring stunning reinterpretations of over twenty classic Beatles songs! The one and only Billy Shears (multi-platinum recording artist Peter Frampton) and his best friends the Hendersons (Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Bee Gees) are four young men from the quaint little town of Heartland. With superstardom calling, this fabulous foursome leaves Heartland (and Billy’s beloved Strawberry Fields, Sandy Farina) vulnerable to mean Mr. Mustard, who steals Sgt. Pepper’s magical instruments for a fiendish, "evil force that would poison young minds, pollute the environment, and subvert the democratic process. ", It’s up to our heroes to save everything they hold dear with the power of music, kindness, and heart. Featuring performances by Aerosmith, George Burns, Steve Martin, Earth, Wind & Fire, and more, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is a magical, musical tour through some of the greatest songs ever written, and an astounding time capsule of the late 70s unlike anything you’ve ever seen or heard.

Release: November 9, 2010

$6.99

Description

A New York street dancer joins forces with a determined crew to compete in a high-stakes world dance showdown.

Release: December 8, 2020

$7.99

Description

Throughout the 1980s, Shohei Imamura (The Pornographers, Profound Desires of the Gods), a leading figure of the Japanese New Wave era of the 1960s, cemented his international reputation as one of the most important directors of his generation with a series of films that all competed at Cannes to great critical acclaim. This exclusive box set from Arrow Academy presents restored versions of three late career classics from the legendary filmmaker. Based on an ancient folktale, The Ballad of Narayama (1983) was the first of two works from the director to win the prestigious Cannes Palme d Or. Imamura s magnum opus depicts the members of an extended farming family eking out their existence in the mountainous north of Japan against the backdrop of the changing seasons before village lore decrees they make the sacrifice of abandoning their aged mother on the top of a nearby mountain when she reaches her seventieth year. Making its HD debut, Zegen (1987) takes a satirical look at Japan s prewar colonial expansion through the unscrupulous eyes of its flesh-peddler antihero as he establishes a prostitution enterprise across Southeast Asia. Finally, the harrowing Black Rain (1989) details the precarious existence of a household of atomic bomb survivors as, five years after being caught in the blast of Hiroshima, they struggle to find a husband for their 25-year-old niece. These three works epitomize the director s almost documentary style of filmmaking, exposing the vulgar yet vibrant and instinctive underbelly of Japanese society through a sympathetic focus on peasants, prostitutes, criminal lowlife and other marginalized figures to explore the schism between the country s timeless premodern traditions and the modern face it projects to the world. LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS Restored High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all three films Original lossless Japanese PCM 1.0 mono soundtracks Optional English subtitles Brand new audio commentaries on all three films by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp Brand new, in-depth appreciations of all three films by Japanese cinema expert Tony Rayns Alternate color ending to Black Rain, shot by Imamura but removed from the film shortly before its release Archival interviews on Black Rain with actress Yoshiko Tanaka and assistant director Takashi Miike Multiple trailers and image galleries Original Japanese press kits for The Ballad of Narayama and Black Rain (BD-ROM content) Limited edition 60-page booklet containing new writing by Tom Mes Limited edition packaging featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tony Stella

Release: September 29, 2009

$6.99

Description

Product Description Twin Spirits is a unique and intimate, live theatrical performance by a chamber ensemble of actors, singers and musicians, portraying the deep and ultimately tragic love between the composer Robert Schumann and his pianist wife Clara Wieck. In this intensely moving performance of words, song and music, the Schumanns’ long separation, so formative an influence on their lives, is reflected in the division of the ensemble into male and female groups. Robert's letters to Clara are read by Sting and his songs sung by Simon Keenlyside, with accompaniments and instrumental music played by Iain Burnside and Sergej Krylov. Clara's letters to Robert are read by Trudie Styler and her songs sung by Rebecca Evans, with accompaniments and instrumental music played by Natalie Clein and Natasha Paremski. The narrator, Derek Jacobi, links together the letters and lyrics to complete the essential outline of the story. Conceived and directed by John Caird, Twin Spirits was first performed in June 2005 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London and has since been experienced only at private performances for charity by small audiences of all ages and interests, leaving them deeply touched and inspired. Press Reviews "Twin Spirits portrays the life and love of Robert and Clara Schumann through readings of their surviving letters. These are read by Sting and Trudie Styler, with Derek Jacobi authoritatively filling in any gaps in the story. In one sense it's a static productions, with everyone seated throughout, but it's actually quite engrossing - perfectly paced and beautifully filmed. It's impossible not to emerge with both a true empathy for the Schumanns and a renewed or awakened interest in their music. The acting stays just the right side of luvviness, with Sting and Styler delivering strong, subtly believable performances. They're supported by beautifully executed interludes from a top line-up of soloists. This is tender, moving, well put together, and supplemented by an enlightening bonus DVD." (Classic fM) "John Caird's Twin Spirits, filmed live at the Royal Opera House, is beautifully constructed and performed with extraordinary fervour… Sting and Trudie Styler's own marriage undoubtedly informs their profoundly affecting portrayal of the Schumanns… Musical choices are mostly Schumann, a bit of Clara and some evocative Mozart and Chopin... often in special arrangements. Bonus material is generous... The issues are fascinating, though. How good is Clara's music? The jury is still out." (BBC Music Magazine) Cast Sting (Actor) Trudie Styler (Actor) Derek Jacobi (Narrator) Simon Keenlyside (Tenor) Sergej Krylov (Violin) Iain Burnside (Piano) The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Production Company: Royal Opera House Stage Director: John Caird Disc Information Catalogue Number: OABD7043D Date of Performance: 2005 Running Time: 206 minutes Sound: 2.0 & 5.0 PCM Aspect Ratio: 1080i High Definition / 16:9 Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, ES, IT + EN (SONGS ONLY) Label: Opus Arte Review A Great Love Story is Told in Words and Music The nearly legendary story of Robert and Clara Schumann was staged and filmed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 2007. The production, titled "Twin Spirits," is now available in a 2-DVD set from Opus Arte, and it is impressive and unusual. As Narrator, Derek Jacobi has center stage. On his right are actor Sting to read from Robert Schumann's letters, baritone Simon Keenlyside to sing Schumann's songs, Sergej Krylov (violin), and Iain Burnside (piano). On his left are actress Trudie Styler to read from Clara's letters, soprano Rebecca Evans to sing selections as a solo or as a duet with Keenlyside, Natalie Clein (cello), and Natasha Peremski (piano). The first disc contains the performance, which is an expert balance of narration and dramatic readings with solos and accompaniments from the musicians. As is explained in the program notes, some of the selections were edited in various ways for theatrical effect. All in all, it provides a fascinating insight into two human beings who loved, created complex and beautiful music, and finally suffered when Robert had a mental breakdown. The second disc offers another set of insights into the genius of the two when different members of the cast, actors and players, discuss the personalities and works of the two Schumanns. The educational value of this disc alone is great. I would like to see similar formats used for other famous musicians--but only with such skilled artists as were used in "Twin Spirits." But when will art departments stop using white print over colored backgrounds in the booklets, which might please their eyes but ruin ours? -- Art Times, Frank Behrens, December 2009 Better than you'd expect. This entertainment comes out of a charity event held at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. If you don't blink, you can see Alfred Brendel schmoozing before the curtain goes up. Basically, it pairs the music of Robert and Clara Schumann with their writings to and about one another (with side trips to Mozart and Chopin). The texts and notes don't line up chronologically, but emotionally. The words, from letters and diaries (particularly the so-called "marriage" diary which they kept jointly), chronicle the couple from pre-courtship to Robert's insanity and death, with a bit on Clara's long widowhood. A whiff of the "high-class" charity event lingers a little over the enterprise. Frankly, when I saw Sting's name, I muttered, "God save us from arty rockers." However, Sting surprised me. His delivery was intelligent, understated, with just enough "characterization" that you felt the presence of another personality, perhaps even Schumann's. In other words, he convinced me. It's the professional actors -- Jacobi and Styler -- that I occasionally caught "acting." Jacobi at times became a Masterpiece Theatre compère, while Styler here and there over-emoted. Her young Clara Wieck was a little too cute. However, Jacobi's lines functioned simply for set-ups and connections, and Styler became genuinely moving as Clara bears the family catastrophe. However, the real glory of the evening lies -- don't be too surprised -- in the music and the performances. Evans does well with her songs, although she occasionally slips into opera mode. Burnside supplies sensitive accompaniments -- a pro who knows his Schumann. The cellist Natalie Clein . . . well, I couldn't concentrate too well on her music-making, she's so gorgeous -- a bit like the young Argerich. What I did get showed a fiery but musical personality. She's wonderful in chamber music. American pianist Natasha Paremski negotiated some fiendish passage-work from Clara's piano concerto with spirit and aplomb. Violinist Sergei Krylov seemed uncomfortable in a chamber setting, but he certainly set the tone of the playing. You couldn't accuse him of bland good taste or timidity. However, baritone Simon Keenlyside stood out. I've heard few better Lieder singers. Furthermore, his duet with Evans in Mozart's "Là ci darem" from Don Giovanni provided the musical highpoint of the enterprise -- silkily seductive and a better aphrodisiac than oysters (though not as tasty). It strikes me as ironic that Mozart beats out Schumann in a Schumann documentary -- home-field advantage notwithstanding. The music, for the most part, serves the drama. Sometimes, we get abbreviations or cutoffs so the readings may continue. At other times, piano pieces have been "orchestrated" for the instrumental ensemble and at least one solo song turned into a duet. However, Martin Ward displays great taste, even in a chamber arrangement of something like "Träumerei" -- a trap that can lead to sugar coma if you don't take care. Some of the best bits come from the bonus disc, which contains, among other things, interviews with the musicians and the actors as well as a short documentary made at the Schumann-Haus in Zwickau, the composer's birthplace. John Caird serves as interlocutor. As he talks with the actors, it becomes clear that the group brings contemporary cultural perspectives to the marriage. Clara becomes the put-upon mother of the brood, while Robert flits about doing as he pleases -- writing symphonies and music criticism, preparing to conduct, and so on. This really doesn't survive a moment's thought. Clara, one of the greatest pianists of her day, was the primary breadwinner (one of her tours paid the family's expenses for three years) and had plenty of domestic help. She couldn't have practiced otherwise, and she set herself challenging programs. Don't get me wrong. She had plenty to put up with otherwise from Schumann, who among other things couldn't bear extraneous noise while he worked. I don't remember how they worked it out. She may have had to practice off-premises or Schumann may have composed off-premises. At any rate, musicologist Daniel Gallagher sits in and occasionally and gently puts things right. I should point out that these are extremely informal conversations among intelligent people. My favorite moment comes from pianist Natasha Paremski, who uses the word "vibe" and then asks, "That's not too American a word, is it?" Iain Burnside replies in his Best British Manner, "It's a word, yes." For me, however, the documentary, One Heart, One Soul, counts as the most interesting portion of the bonus features. It consists of the director of Schumann-Haus, Gerd Nauhaus, a man who knows his Schumann as well as anybody, discussing the composer. He too corrects some of the misperceptions that have arisen during the other interviews. Nauhaus speaks German, but you can choose subtitles from among several languages, including English. One may very well ask what audience these discs serve. Sting provides one answer: those not normally interested in classical music can come to the genre by getting involved in the story. It is a cracking good story, if a little weepy -- a Romance novel that happens to be true. Die-hard Sting fanatics will probably want it, even though he doesn't sing. Those who know their Schumann may or may not find something to interest them. The performances all shine, but it's not a Schumann concert, after all. You'll just have to work it out for yourselves. -- Classical CD Review, Steve Schwartz, February 2010 Having brought John Dowland to the masses with his album Songs from the Labyrinth, Sting takes another shot at presenting classical music to a wider audience which has developed the infuriating habit of not taking any notice of it. In this live performance, Sting portrays the passionate and tragically short-lived Robert Schumann by reading from his letters, while his wife Trudie Styler enacts the role of Robert's spouse Clara Schumann (formerly Wieck). In between, selections from the Schumanns' music are played by an ensemble comprising cellist Natalie Clein, pianists Iain Burnside and Natasha Paremski, violinist Sergej Krylov and singers Simon Keenlyside and Rebecca Evans. "I think it's a great `in' for people who don't normally listen to classical music," says Sting. Twin Spirits was devised as a fundraiser for a variety of charities, including the Royal Opera House, so we probably have to forgive its overtones of highbrow schlock. However, our task is not made easier by Derek Jacobi's performance as narrator. Ensconced on a throne and dressed like a Victorian philanthropist, Sir Del is at his fruitiest and most orotund. Fans of Frasier may be reminded of his guest performance as Jackson Hedley, the world's most preposterous Shakespearean actor. However, although Sting has suffered his share of critical brickbats, here he keeps a straight bat and delivers his readings with a mixture of wry humour and quiet sincerity. Trudie sometimes lurches into over-emoting luvviedom, but then again, she was a member of the RSC back in the day, which is how the RSC's John Caird was recruited to direct the project. And it can't be denied that the saga of the Schumanns' doomed greatest-love-of-all is a powerful tear-jerker. "There are moments in the story that make me very fearful," Styler admits. "The idea of losing my husband confronts me when I look at Sting as Robert. There are a few moments in the script where Robert and Clara are having a good time, so I try to make the most of them, just as I do in my own life." At 90 minutes, Twin Spirits cries out for some editing scissors, but perseverance is rewarded by the quality of the musical performances. Simon Keenlyside brings thunderous conviction to his musical portrayal of Robert Schumann, and the quartet performance of Traumerei, which marks the composer's solitary and miserable death, feels lonelier than a coyote's howl. Surprisingly, the second disc of additional features contains some of the best bits, especially Caird's conversations with the participants. All the musicians offer useful insights into the music, with Iain Burnside contributing shrewd remarks about the way Robert Schumann's music demands active intervention from the performer to bring it to life. When Caird introduces musicologist Daniel Gallagher to supply commentary on the Schumanns' life and work, he's so fascinating that that even Sting and Trudie find themselves spontaneously quizzing him. Despite all this, if you really want to explore the Schumanns' work, you might consider buying a selection of CDs and playing them a lot. -- The Arts Desk, Adam Sweeting, October 1, 2009 In his lifetime, Robert Schumann remained in the shadow of his wife Clara Wieck, whose concert career as a pianist took her all over Europe while he labored as a music journalist and largely unrecognized composer. Clara's overbearing father had taught them both piano, but his callous objections to the growing romance between Robert and Clara resulted in a physical separation that -- happily for musicologists -- left hundreds of letters detailing the musical and emotional development of this fascinating couple. While in different cities, they would often arrange to play the same piece at the same time, and then write to each other about the emotions aroused; once they were finally married, they kept a joint "marriage diary" for three and half years that recorded their musical and domestic happiness. Sting and his wife, actor Trudie Styler, are joined by Derek Jacobi, soprano Rebecca Evans, baritone Simon Keenlyside, and four instrumentalists for Twin Spirits, an educational project from London's Royal Opera House that presents the lives and works of Clara and Robert Schumann. Sting and Styler portray the couple in words, Keenlyside and Evans in music. Jacobi narrates. Devised and directed by John Caird, the show was recorded live in an intimately arranged and lit studio space at the opera house. It weaves together musical excerpts, love letters, diary entries and narration to tell the story of their love and marriage, tragically shortened when Robert's mental illness forced his commitment to an asylum. The show itself, which has been given as charity performances since 2005, is both informative and affecting, with spontaneous and energetic musical contributions, especially Evans's urgent rendition of Clara's "Er ist gekommen" and Keenlyside's sweeping "Ich grolle nicht," capped by a powerful high A. Evans's controlled voicing of "Ich hab im Traum geweinet" and Keenlyside's "Stille Liebe" are also effective. Most of the musical selections are short, and many have violin and cello additions, which lend an appropriate salon atmosphere, though the opening of "Carnaval" sounds odd with strings. Because of its placement in the storyline (and the use of Chopin's variations on its tune), "Là ci darem la mano" receives an odd interpretation, but Keenlyside's and Evans's skill and naturalness are winning. Another huge plus is Styler's warm, expressive delivery. With her wispy hair, vulnerable face and a faraway look in her eyes, Styler embodies the romantic, artistic spirit who rejoices in her soul mate; in passages detailing the end of Robert's life, Styler makes Clara's pain palpable. Sting's spiky, contemporary look is a bit of a jolt, but his connection to the material and identification with the obsessive, suffering composer are genuine. All the artists contributed their time to the project without remuneration; only Jacobi (whose presence undoubtedly signals "class") seems arch and distanced in his narration. Several bonus offerings include lengthy, round-table discussions in which the singers, instrumentalists and actors speak of how powerfully the interaction of words and music affected their interpretations and delivery. A thirty-five-minute lecture at the Robert Schumann Haus in Leipzig provides biographical details and background on the Schumanns' careers and training, as well as on their marriage and children. All proceeds from DVD sales benefit outreach projects of the Royal Opera House Education Programme. -- Opera News Online, Judith Malafronte, Decmber 2009 Like cucumber sandwiches at high tea, this depiction of the romance between two German musicians is a uniquely English confection. It follows in the tradition of BBC radio's dramatization of biographical presentations. In this case, the extended courtship and all-too-brief marriage is rendered with convincing fidelity through an enlightened blending of the spoken word and musical examples from the respective compositions of Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck. Nobly narrated by Derek Jacobi, the dialogue is ably conveyed by Sting (when will he, as an emerging musical polymath, be granted a knighthood so that his real name may enter common usage?) and Trudie Styler reading the lovers' correspondence compiled over decades. An unusual form of entertainment, but it kept a capacity audience in rapt attention over a long evening at Covent Garden. The singers and musicians give heartfelt support to the story with immaculate performances. The set includes close to two hours of extra features. It is also available from Opus Arte on conventional DVD format. Highly recommended to admirers of the Schumanns and all collectors with a special interest in German music of the Romantic period. -- La Scena Musicale, October 2009 One of the most moving love stories in the world of music is the relationship between Robert and Clara Schumann. In 2007, the British producer David Caird put together a music theater piece called Twin Spirits at London's Covent Garden in which Derek Jacoby narrated the romantic and tragic story, with Sting and his wife Trudie Styler reading passages from Robert and Clara's letters and the remarkable diary they kept together in the first years of their marriage. Some excellent chamber musicians and singers punctuate the readings with excerpts from the works of both Robert and Clara. Twin Spirits tells the story of Robert Schumann coming to Leipzig to study with the renowned music teacher Friedrich Wieck. Wieck's daughter Clara was a piano prodigy, by far the most talented of his six children. Robert was nine years older than her. He lived with the Wiecks for a year. By the time Clara was in her mid teens, they had fallen in love. Wieck was violently opposed to this romance. Clara's career came first. He refused to permit the marriage and ultimately the two lovers went to court for permission. Clara was 21; Robert 30. Wieck eventually relented when the couple had the first of their eight children, only four of whom outlived their parents. Clara was much more famous than Robert, and traveled extensively giving recitals, which were admired by the greatest musical figures of the time. She inspired Robert -- the year before they were married, he wrote more than 100 of his greatest songs. And she helped further his career by playing his compositions. Robert Schumann suffered from periodic mental breakdowns; tragedy struck when he tried to drown himself. He was institutionalized, but Clara was forbidden to see him for more than two years, until he was actually dying. She spent the rest of her life giving concerts and performing her husband's music. In his musical selection, Twin Spirits producer/director David Caird is less concerned with chronology than with finding something appropriate for each part of the story. Purists might object to the way Caird has rearranged some of the original music for this production. But in this dramatic context, I find these new arrangements both tasteful and effective. Sting, we've come to know, has a serious interest in classical music; he's also a coolly expressive actor and reader. Trudie Styler is particularly affecting reading what Clara wrote during her final visits to Robert. The most disappointing element of Twin Spirits is the rather artificial narration by Derek Jacobi, an actor I usually admire. But the whole enterprise is a compelling and poignant retelling of the story, and the well-chosen and well-performed music make this an outstanding addition to the year celebration of Robert Schumann's bicentennial. -- NPR, Lloyd Schwartz, February 17, 2010 Sting has been taking ever braver leaps into the classical music world over the last few years. As someone who doesn't enjoy his singing, I heaved a sigh of relief that he is on speaking duty in this fascinating musical dramatization of the often difficult, artistically inspirational, romantically fulfilling relationship between composer Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck. Sting is Robert to Trudie Styler's Clara as they sit with narrator Derek Jacobi on the Covent Garden stage, surrounded by exceptional musicians, including tenor Simon Keenlyside, soprano Rebecca Evans and violinist Sergei Krylov. Excerpts from the lovebirds' letters are interwoven with Schumann's music (and a bit of Mozart and Chopin). Once you get into the slow, black-backdropped pace of the story, you come to appreciate what an amazing job director John Caird has done to make the 90-minute show absorbing. A second DVD has more than an hour of extras, including background interviews and a documentary. This is inventive classical programming at its best, though music purists might prefer to hear uncut versions of many of the pieces on the program. -- TheStar.com, John Terauds, November 17, 2009 This is an uncharacteristically small-scale production for writer-director John Caird, who is more closely associated with such spectacles as Les misérables and Nicholas Nickleby. It's a 90-minute account, through words and music, of the personal and professional relationship between Robert Schumann and his wife, née Clara Wieck, devised in 2005 for the education division of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and since then trotted out for various fundraising events with different performer rosters. This version was recorded before a silent audience in late 2007. Despite the number of artists on stage, it seems quite intimate; the actors are low-key, and the musicians, while rising to the passions of the music as necessary (particularly in the finale of Robert's Piano Trio No. 1, which closes the program), are direct and obviously under no pressure to play to a large hall. Although the proceedings are conveyed mainly through close-ups and two- and three-shots, the placement of the performers is interesting and deliberate. In the center, to the rear, on what looks almost like a throne, Sir Derek Jacobi offers bits of introduction and narrative context. Down front, at opposite sides of the stage, sit the actors portraying the Schumanns: pop star Sting, who has always struck me as more intelligent and subtle than he is generally given credit for, and Trudie Styler, best known in America as Mrs. Sting, but in England an accomplished actress with (like Jacobi) a Shakespearean background. Clustered near each of the two main actors is a trio of musicians, divided by gender. On Robert's side are a baritone and a male violinist and pianist; on Clara's, a soprano and a female cellist and pianist. The musicians do not remain segregated all the time; obviously, there's crossover in the trio movement, and both singers deliver Mozart's "Là ci darem la mano," which was important in the Schumanns' personal history. There's also an arrangement of "Träumerei" that manages to include all the instrumentalists. But for the most part, each historical figure is represented by his or her own group of musicians. As you might have guessed, the music comes in bits and pieces, mostly songs and instrumental miniatures (by both Robert and Clara), but for the most part each item is complete in itself and only occasionally, mainly in the beginning, do the actors talk over the music. The spoken lines are drawn from the Schumanns' letters; Caird has heavily edited them and mingled missives from various periods to create a coherent narrative. This overall approach will obviously not satisfy purists who seek an impartial documentary account of the Schumanns, nor music lovers who prefer to hear song cycles and chamber works in their entirety. But that's not the point of this project; it's an introduction to the general, intelligent, curious music lover of the personalities behind this music, and to Clara's essential role in Robert's life and career. If Sting and Styler, sometimes reading from scripts but often looking straight into the camera, don't fully convey the excitement of early love, they are very good at communicating the comfortable intimacy, affection, and mutual respect of an old married couple. Perhaps each is best when not speaking; they can communicate quite a lot in the cutaway shots of one watching the other deliver lines, or in listening to the musicians (who are also seen being quietly attentive during some of the spoken passages). The musical performances are quite good, even if Simon Keenlyside, like most baritones, finds Schumann's top notes taxing. Those requiring a more straightforward documentation of the Schumann situation may prefer the 35-minute documentary in which a curator from the Schumann House museum and archive speaks, in subtitled German, about their marriage and careers, repeating some material from the stage presentation but elaborating on other issues. There's also a surprisingly engaging series of chats with Caird, the performers, and musicologist Daniel Gallagher about the Schumanns and their music. Gallagher's contributions are especially good, even for non-specialists, and while the actors don't have much of substance to contribute, they do at least chime in with the occasional smart observation and perceptive question. The Blu-ray video quality is, as usual, superb, although there's nothing more technically challenging here than maintaining clarity on a rather dark stage. The aspect ratio is 16:9, and the audio options are limited to PCM 2.0 and 5.0. Subtitles are available for the songs and the German documentary. Old hands at this subject may feel that its treatment here is too superficial, but take this for what it is: an educational entertainment designed to introduce the Schumanns' music and cobiography to the uninitiated without insulting their intelligence. "Twin Spirits" surely succeeds on those grounds, most touchingly. -- Fanfare, James Reel, Mar-Apr 2010 Twin Spirits is a live theatrical performance that features narration, impersonation (in an epistolary manner), and chamber music centered on the lives and love of Robert and Clara Schumann. Evidently the work, created and directed by John Caird, toured in smaller venues before being presented at the Royal Opera House. It is indeed a unique experience, the letters of the Schumann's used as the basis for a story of their lives, dramatized here to excellent effect, and enhanced by their music. One can think of no more worthy subjects than these two hyper-romantic figures, celebrated in their day and long afterwards, with personal connections tying them into the fortunes and foibles of Brahms, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Joachim, and Chopin. Their love story is one that was well known even in their own day, and their passion for one another is marked only by the equal degree of tragedy and sorrow that graced their short time together. I will not dwell on aspects of that story here, as it is well known, and if unknown easily found in books and on the Web. Suffice it to say, the story begins with Robert's first studies with Clara Wieck's father (Robert was essentially self-taught), his aspirations as a pianist until he ruined his hands, his solicitation of love from Clara and desire to marry her (against her father's wishes), the frustration they experienced until they could get married, early bliss in their marital life and the success of each, Robert's seminal decline and mental instability, Clara's heartrending final years with Robert in an asylum, and her life after Robert's death. All of this seems like it might be too much for a stage production, but the letters have been carefully vetted in order to keep the action--such as it is--moving along. The story is given general guidelines by Derek Jacobi--superb as usual--and the parts of Robert and Clara taken by Sting and wife Trudie Styler. This might seem an odd choice at first, but Sting seems to have had a late-in-life classical-music conversion (remember his Dowland record?), and his performance as Robert is outstanding, as seasoned as from any actor I can imagine playing the part. Trudie Styler is equally affecting, and her moment of breakdown towards the end is truly distressing. But this is not a play at all--there is no dramatic movement or stage acting. Most of the time, Sting and Trudie are seated close to one another, and they often lean towards each other when speaking. Jacobi is seated pretty much center stage, and they all can be seen watching each other. Interspersed among the talkers are a series of musicians, an all-male group (baritone, violin, piano) on Robert's side, and a female group (soprano, cello, piano) on Clara's side. At different times in the "action," the music of one of the Schumanns is played by one of these groups, or a portion of each. For the most part, the performances are excellent, the singing of Simon Keenlyside being notable, along with the last selection, the Finale from the D-Minor Piano Trio, op. 63, a real barnburner and triumphant ending to an otherwise factual human misfortune that nonetheless had moments of supreme joy. But its protagonists were certainly as star-crossed as Romeo and Juliet ever were. If there is a downside, it would be the lack of more representative music on Robert's part. The very nature and intimacy of this production nixes the idea of large ensemble performances, but one feels like part of the emotional picture is missing without them. Some of the music has been doctored or altered, nothing egregious, but odd sounding to those who know it. This was probably unavoidable in order to make the music portion fuller while using only chamber pieces. The songs are what they are, and there are a few pieces pertinent to the Schumanns at certain times that are by other composers. The staging is wonderful, making it easy to follow what is happening; the sound is equally pleasing, LPCM stereo or DTS surround (my choice). The music however, is only secondary to the engrossing tale, and is chosen wisely to enhance the story where the words end. As bonuses, we get a substantial amount, the cast talks and the documentary being of more than casual interest. I enjoyed this thoroughly, and I can't imagine any music lover who wouldn't. -- Fanfare, Steven E. Ritter, Jan/Feb 2010 Top About this item Similar From the Brand Reviews Twin Spirits: Sting performs Schumann [Blu-ray]

Release: December 12, 2023

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Product Description A rash of brutal murders sweeps through a quiet rural village where a mysterious stranger just appeared. When the investigating officer watches his daughter fall under the same savage spell, he consults a shaman for answers – unknowingly escalating the situation into something far more dangerous. Review "one of the year's best films" --The Examiner "hideous and exquisite, heart-breaking and horrifying" --The Last Thing I See "a masterpiece of mood" --Polygon

Release: January 20, 2026

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The cinematic cultural sensation returns with the epic conclusion to the untold story of the witches of Oz. Elphaba and Glinda are now estranged, each living with the consequences of their choices. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, continuing her fight to expose The Wizard. Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) has become a glamorous symbol of Goodness, basking in the perks of fame and popularity. As the angry citizens of Oz rise up against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba must reunite and truly see each other—if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz. Bring home the adventure with an exclusive sing-along and prepare to be changed…for good. Bonus Content: Includes a digital copy of Wicked: For Good (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.) Deleted Scenes Making Wicked: For Good The True Wizard More than Just a Place The Girl in the Bubble Kiamo Ko Feature Commentary with Director Jon M. Chu

Release: January 20, 2026

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The cinematic cultural sensation returns with the epic conclusion to the untold story of the witches of Oz. Elphaba and Glinda are now estranged, each living with the consequences of their choices. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, continuing her fight to expose The Wizard. Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) has become a glamorous symbol of Goodness, basking in the perks of fame and popularity. As the angry citizens of Oz rise up against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba must reunite and truly see each other—if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz. Bring home the adventure with an exclusive sing-along and prepare to be changed…for good. Bonus Content: Includes 4K UHD, Blu-ray and a digital copy of Wicked: For Good (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.) Features Dolby Vision and HDR10 for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color Deleted Scenes Making Wicked: For Good The True Wizard More than Just a Place The Girl in the Bubble Kiamo Ko Feature Commentary with Director Jon M. Chu