Death of a Salesman & Private Conversations (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was glad to find this DVD just shortly after reading the play. While I enjoyed reading it very much, I found the play to be very confusing. Just from the text alone it was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't. Seeing the film version of this triumphant play really helped a lot. "Death of a Salesman" is a sad and tragic drama that emotionally involves you from start to finish.
Willy Loman is a tired and heart-broken salesman who no longer lives in the world of reality. Instead, he is trapped in his world of delusions. Each day that passes by seems to be worse and worse for Willy. He spends way too much of his time in the past when he needs to be focusing on the future. His wife and two sons have no idea what they should do for him as they know that he is heading towards disaster in this unforgettable drama.
Like I said, to actually see this really made me appreciate the play more than just reading it from the text. It can get confusing when you only have the words, but when you see it performed it all comes together and make sense. The acting is terrific. Dustin Hoffman really does an outstanding job of playing Willy Loman. Not only does he just "act" the part out, he "becomes" Loman. I admit that I had my doubts at first, because I didn't see him playing the part. My doubts quickly fled from my mind after the first 10 minutes or so. Everybody else is also terrific as well. (Wow, look how young John Malkovitch looks!) I think the movie does a fine job doing Arthur Miller's play justice.
The DVD is pretty neat as well. The picture quality is good, considering the fact that it is an old movie. The DVD also includes a feature length documentary behind the movie, which is really entertaining, and a still gallery. While it may seem like this DVD doesn't have a lot to offer, the documentary really makes it worth-while.
"Death of a Salesman" is a powerhouse drama that hooks you from start to finish. Reading it is one thing, but to actually see it makes it much more enjoyable. If you just read the play from the text it can be pretty confusing at points. If you're looking for a great dramatic movie with great acting and writing, then this is something you should really think about checking out.

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Willy Loman has spent his entire life believing he and his family are bound for greatness. Struggling day to day as a traveling salesman, Willy begins to lose touch with reality and drifts away into the past. Meanwhile his family, including wife Linda and sons Biff and Happy, attempts to cope with Willy's self-destruction and the still-lingering ghosts of the past. Arthur Miller's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning play is brought to the screen with a powerhouse performance by Academy Award-winner Dustin Hoffman, who earned Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for this role. The stellar supporting cast features Kate Reid, Charles Durning, Stephen Lang, and in his first breakout role, John Malkovich as Biff, all guided by internationally-acclaimed director Volker Schlondorff (The Tin Drum) and a haunting score by legendary composer Alex North (Spartacus).

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OT:OUR TOWN. A Famous American Play in an Infamous American Town Review

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(More customer reviews)THis documentary (and I hate to use that word, as it sounds so dreary) is set in a high school in a particularly awful Southern California community -- Compton. The only good thing about the school is the basketball team (one of the players goes directly to the Chicago Bulls after graduation) and the students tend to get pregnant (the girls) or get shot (the boys). A couple of idealistic teachers decide that it's time to try putting on a play -- something that hasn't happened in ages (if at all) at this high school. They pick Our Town, which is perhaps an odd choice given how middle America Our Town is, and how -- diverse -- the students at Dominguez H.S. in Compton are (Hispanic and African American). The students think a play sounds like fun but then they think they don't like the play and what if no-one comes to see them, etc. The teachers have trouble with students coming to rehearsal and memorizing their lines. The high school has no stage (great gym, however).
I won't tell you how the play turns out -- I was concerned myself the closer they got to opening day and couldn't imagine what it was like for the teachers.
I wish movies like this were more widely distributed. For one thing, getting to know the student actors in this movie helped you see the real diversity in Compton -- how different but real each student was, how in some ways the stereotype was true (violence is a big problem in Compton and the students aren't self-disciplined and bring quite a lot of baggage to class) and yet they have potential, talent, and their own stories to tell.
I highly recommend this movie.

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Against all odds, the first theatrical production in over 20 years at Dominguez High School is going to be Thornton Wilder's American classic "Our Town." The kids at this Compton school are about to experience more than a culture clash, as they embark on a rich journey and discover the educational and social value of theater. OT: our town tells the story of human spirit and its strength against the cliches attempting to hold them down. Where Wilder wrote about little Grover's Corners, this documentary exemplifies how Our Town is every town, Our Town is Compton.Winner - Best Documentary - Los Angeles FF.Winner - Palm Springs Int'l Festival.Nominated - Best Documentary - Independent Spirit Awards.Official Selection - Toronto, South by Southwest and Tribeca Film Festivals.This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

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The Skin of Our Teeth (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ignoring the conventions of time, this playful "message play," directed by Jack O'Brien, studies one family from the days of the glaciers and dinosaurs to a post-apocalyptic, modern world. George Antrobus (Harold Gould), the inventor of the wheel, and Maggie (Sada Thompson), his wife, the inventor of the apron, have two children, Gladys and Henry (who was previously called Cain). Sabina (Blair Brown), the flirtatious maid, acts as the initial guide to the characters and action, commenting on their interactions. As the play progresses through the eras, author Thornton Wilder raises questions about civilization and values. George, by Act II, is convinced that the world is made for pleasure and power, but in the final act, after a modern world cataclysm, the family confronts what is truly important in their lives.
The principal actors have, among them, won twenty-two Emmy nominations and twelve Golden Globe nominations, and they certainly live up to their billing here in this 1983 production, as they present their over-the-top characterizations, accentuated by exaggerated gestures and often eye-catching costuming. Harold Gould, as George, is hilarious as the overwhelmed father of the family. Blair Brown is as seductive a housemaid as her abbreviated costumes suggest she would be, and Sada Thompson in dowdy dress is motherly and thoughtful. Academy Award winner John Houseman, in a cameo role as a buttoned-up newscaster, could not be more formal, and the satiric fortune-teller, Rue McLanahan, is full of droll humor.
Giving additional visual impact to the play are a pet dinosaur and a wooly mammoth, a beauty pageant on the Boardwalk of New Jersey, a convention of the fraternal Order of Mammals, and several attempted seductions by predatory women. The play takes liberties with the audience as the various actors step out of character to address them, as does the director. By including the audience in the action, the author reminds them that they are also part of the conclusion and the resolution.
First produced in 1942, the play reflects Wilder's fear that the war then engulfing the world might truly be a war for the future of civilization. His conclusion, which highlights the values of western philosophers, such as Spinoza, Aristotle, and Plato, also incorporates his religious beliefs and his belief in the enduring values of (western) literature. "We've come a long way--we're learning," he says, hopefully, but he also reminds us that "the end of this play isn't written yet." Creative and original in its day, the play represents a major moment in American theater. Mary Whipple


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Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play brings to life the fate and foibles of the celebrated Antrobus family--a bold and brassy embodiment of Wilder's vision of the American people. This eloquent comedy serves up an allegorical tale of one American family whose members must come to grips with their destinies. Having survived fire, flood, pestilence, seven-year locusts, the Ice Age, and a dozen wars, the Antrobuses are as durable as radiators, and remain as optimistic as a spring day. A genuine modern classic. "Wilder's masterwork - a love letter to the human spirit." --Nicky Silver. With Blair Brown, Harold Gould, Rue McClanahan, Sada Thompson, and John Houseman.

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Thornton Wilder's Our Town, Two Historic Productions on Two DVD (1977) Review

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(More customer reviews)The text of this great play, opens no curtain, no scenery. Despite these revolutionary concepts, after writing Our Town, Thornton Wilder for the stage, he hoped there would eventually be a "definitive performance" for tv viewers to enjoy. In other words, he hated the 1940 box office movie with William Holden. In 1977 he worked along with a team of actors including Hal Holbrook, Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox, Sada Thompson, Barbara Bel Geddes, and (fresh from Ode To Billy Joe) Robby Benson and Glynnis O'Connor. Although shot in a tv studio, they bent the rules slightly and added a touch of scenery, but it was so slight that it became the Grover's Corners New Hampshire that Wilder imagined. The performance was so good it was nominated for (and just might have won) an Emmy. Wilder died soon after happily, his definitive version made. His estate willed that another version for tv should not be made. Then in 1989, the late lamented Spaulding Grey headed another cast that did their best to remain completely faithful to the play as written. This Broadway performance was nominated for a Tony. A special performance was made for the executors of Wilder's estate who enjoyed it as much as the fore mentioned 1977 performance, that they allowed PBS to tape it for their "Great Performances" series. Since then, both of these showings have been hard to find on video. Now you can get them both in this nice (though pricey) 2 disc set. But trust me, it's worth the bucks. If you really need to "save money", order it from a "Marketplace Client", but buy it anyway. You will not regret it. Then for another very good showing, buy the 2003 PBS/Showtime presentation (on the PBS label) with Paul Newman, etc.

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Long Day's Journey Into Night (1987) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a wonderful interpretation of O'Neill's transcendental autobiographical work. The cast is fine, but a less "performed" example of Long Day's Journey into Night does exist. The 1962 film by Sidney Lumet actually succeeds more as a drama and as a glimpse into a tortured reality. It is hard to explain. It's like seeing Shakespeare acted out instead of embraced and performed. This newer cast acts the story. The Lumet cast lives the story. They breathe it. They are not actors cast in a show. They are the O'Neill family. Even the filming itself becomes an active part of the Lumet experience. Is buying this version a mistake? Absolutely not. I would just simply recommend taking a look at the Lumet version before deciding.

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Academy Award©-winning star power lights up this passionate production of Eugene O'Neill's timeless American classic! In the height of a sweltering summer, the Tyrone family is about to explode with simmering tensions and suppressed truths that can no longer be held back. Wealthy but unsatisfied former actor James (Jack Lemmon) lives with his morphine-addict wife, Mary (Bethel Leslie, In Cold Blood), and their two tormented sons, Jamie (Kevin Spacey, The Usual Suspects) and Edmund (Peter Gallagher, TV's The O.C.). As nightfall approaches, truth and madness fight for control over a family tearing itself apart. A landmark production from theater legend Jonathan Miller, this searing drama is a bold, electrifying powerhouse you'll never forget!

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Death of a Salesman (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a great admirer of Arthur Miller's work, I have always wished I could have seen the original 1949 production of his masterpiece, DEATH OF A SALESMAN. This video of a 1966 television production, featuring the original Willy and Linda, Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock, is the next best thing -- especially as it was taped "live" and is more like a stage production than like a movie. As wonderful as Dustin Hoffman's portrayal is in the superb 1985 movie version of SALESMAN, Lee J. Cobb simply IS Willy Loman; he conveys the sadness and insecurity that lurk beneath Willy's outward bravado. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Act II scene with Bernard, when he offers Willy a cigarette from his expensive silver case. Cobb takes the case, holds it, looks at it, then slowly hands it back to Bernard. This one moment is so telling: Willy, who never achieved success, either for himself or for his sons, is envious of Bernard's success (and Bernard was never even "well-liked"), symbolized by the silver cigarette case. Mildred Dunnock is likewise ideal as Linda: fragile, but hard as steel when defending Willy to her two resentful sons, Biff and Happy (George Segal and the excellent James Farentino). Segal is especially fine in the hotel-room scene and at the end when, in the middle of a heated argument with his father, he suddenly grabs him and hugs him, weeping. This gesture tells us that Biff is furious with Willy not because he hates him, but because he loves him. Of the supporting actors, Edward Andrews stands out as Charley, Willy's prosperous but "laid-back" neighbor -- the antithesis of Willy himself. Only Bernie Koppel as Howard, Willy's boss, seems an odd choice: he looks more like a college student than like the head of a company. (But perhaps the director, Alex Segal, was just trying to emphasize Willy's age and his failure to "keep up with the times.") This, however, is the only possible weakness in a marvelous production that is essential viewing, if only for the classic portrayals of Cobb and Dunnock.

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"Attention must be paid" to this abbreviated but superb 1966 television adaptation by Arthur Miller of his Pulitzer Prize-winning modern tragedy, starring the incomparable Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock recreating their original Broadway roles as the Lomans. In a career-defining performance, Cobb portrays the suffering Willy Loman--the middle-aged man at the end of his emotional rope--with Dunnock equally impressive as his patient wife, Linda. George Segal and James Farentino play their disillusioned sons, Biff and Happy. Shattering and unforgettable, this landmark television production has been digitally remastered and will endure for all generations to come. "In a word, superb." --New York Times. With Gene Wilder as Bernard.

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Eugene O'Neill's Beyond the Horizon (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1975) Review

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(More customer reviews)This play seems to be about the choices we make in our lives and how they affect us and those around us in the long run. Also familiar are "the grass is always greener on the other side" scenarios as Ruth decides first that she loves Andy, then Rob, then, after marrying Rob and making his life miserable, decides that she really loved Andy after all. Typically tragic Eugene O'Neill, who does misery so desperately well.
The question arises: should we indeed sacrifice our dreams for love? Is it worth the price? And is it really love at all to expect someone to do so?
The only true love in this play was between the two brothers, who supported each other choices unconditionally and experienced the die-hard grief in death that only those who love each other truly can.Splendor in the Grass

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Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning tragedy unsparingly presents the story of two brothers in love with the same girl. The tale unfolds with the girl's rejection of one brother and marriage to the other, setting the stage for discontent and disillusionment. Originally produced on Broadway in 1920, O'Neill's first full-length play captures the powerful, perilous emotional currents swirling below the surface of everyday life.

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The Skin of Our Teeth (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ignoring the conventions of time, this playful "message play," directed by Jack O'Brien, studies one family from the days of the glaciers and dinosaurs to a post-apocalyptic, modern world. George Antrobus (Harold Gould), the inventor of the wheel, and Maggie (Sada Thompson), his wife, the inventor of the apron, have two children, Gladys and Henry (who was previously called Cain). Sabina (Blair Brown), the flirtatious maid, acts as the initial guide to the characters and action, commenting on their interactions. As the play progresses through the eras, author Thornton Wilder raises questions about civilization and values. George, by Act II, is convinced that the world is made for pleasure and power, but in the final act, after a modern world cataclysm, the family confronts what is truly important in their lives.
The principal actors have, among them, won twenty-two Emmy nominations and twelve Golden Globe nominations, and they certainly live up to their billing here in this 1983 production, as they present their over-the-top characterizations, accentuated by exaggerated gestures and often eye-catching costuming. Harold Gould, as George, is hilarious as the overwhelmed father of the family. Blair Brown is as seductive a housemaid as her abbreviated costumes suggest she would be, and Sada Thompson in dowdy dress is motherly and thoughtful. Academy Award winner John Houseman, in a cameo role as a buttoned-up newscaster, could not be more formal, and the satiric fortune-teller, Rue McLanahan, is full of droll humor.
Giving additional visual impact to the play are a pet dinosaur and a wooly mammoth, a beauty pageant on the Boardwalk of New Jersey, a convention of the fraternal Order of Mammals, and several attempted seductions by predatory women. The play takes liberties with the audience as the various actors step out of character to address them, as does the director. By including the audience in the action, the author reminds them that they are also part of the conclusion and the resolution.
First produced in 1942, the play reflects Wilder's fear that the war then engulfing the world might truly be a war for the future of civilization. His conclusion, which highlights the values of western philosophers, such as Spinoza, Aristotle, and Plato, also incorporates his religious beliefs and his belief in the enduring values of (western) literature. "We've come a long way--we're learning," he says, hopefully, but he also reminds us that "the end of this play isn't written yet." Creative and original in its day, the play represents a major moment in American theater. Mary Whipple


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Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play brings to life the fate and foibles of the celebrated Antrobus family--a bold and brassy embodiment of Wilder's vision of the American people. This eloquent comedy serves up an allegorical tale of one American family whose members must come to grips with their destinies. Having survived fire, flood, pestilence, seven-year locusts, the Ice Age, and a dozen wars, the Antrobuses are as durable as radiators, and remain as optimistic as a spring day. A genuine modern classic. "Wilder's masterwork - a love letter to the human spirit." --Nicky Silver. With Blair Brown, Harold Gould, Rue McClanahan, Sada Thompson, and John Houseman.

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Death of a Salesman & Private Conversations (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was glad to find this DVD just shortly after reading the play. While I enjoyed reading it very much, I found the play to be very confusing. Just from the text alone it was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't. Seeing the film version of this triumphant play really helped a lot. "Death of a Salesman" is a sad and tragic drama that emotionally involves you from start to finish.
Willy Loman is a tired and heart-broken salesman who no longer lives in the world of reality. Instead, he is trapped in his world of delusions. Each day that passes by seems to be worse and worse for Willy. He spends way too much of his time in the past when he needs to be focusing on the future. His wife and two sons have no idea what they should do for him as they know that he is heading towards disaster in this unforgettable drama.
Like I said, to actually see this really made me appreciate the play more than just reading it from the text. It can get confusing when you only have the words, but when you see it performed it all comes together and make sense. The acting is terrific. Dustin Hoffman really does an outstanding job of playing Willy Loman. Not only does he just "act" the part out, he "becomes" Loman. I admit that I had my doubts at first, because I didn't see him playing the part. My doubts quickly fled from my mind after the first 10 minutes or so. Everybody else is also terrific as well. (Wow, look how young John Malkovitch looks!) I think the movie does a fine job doing Arthur Miller's play justice.
The DVD is pretty neat as well. The picture quality is good, considering the fact that it is an old movie. The DVD also includes a feature length documentary behind the movie, which is really entertaining, and a still gallery. While it may seem like this DVD doesn't have a lot to offer, the documentary really makes it worth-while.
"Death of a Salesman" is a powerhouse drama that hooks you from start to finish. Reading it is one thing, but to actually see it makes it much more enjoyable. If you just read the play from the text it can be pretty confusing at points. If you're looking for a great dramatic movie with great acting and writing, then this is something you should really think about checking out.

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Death of a Salesman (Broadway Theatre Archive) (1966) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a great admirer of Arthur Miller's work, I have always wished I could have seen the original 1949 production of his masterpiece, DEATH OF A SALESMAN. This video of a 1966 television production, featuring the original Willy and Linda, Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock, is the next best thing -- especially as it was taped "live" and is more like a stage production than like a movie. As wonderful as Dustin Hoffman's portrayal is in the superb 1985 movie version of SALESMAN, Lee J. Cobb simply IS Willy Loman; he conveys the sadness and insecurity that lurk beneath Willy's outward bravado. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Act II scene with Bernard, when he offers Willy a cigarette from his expensive silver case. Cobb takes the case, holds it, looks at it, then slowly hands it back to Bernard. This one moment is so telling: Willy, who never achieved success, either for himself or for his sons, is envious of Bernard's success (and Bernard was never even "well-liked"), symbolized by the silver cigarette case. Mildred Dunnock is likewise ideal as Linda: fragile, but hard as steel when defending Willy to her two resentful sons, Biff and Happy (George Segal and the excellent James Farentino). Segal is especially fine in the hotel-room scene and at the end when, in the middle of a heated argument with his father, he suddenly grabs him and hugs him, weeping. This gesture tells us that Biff is furious with Willy not because he hates him, but because he loves him. Of the supporting actors, Edward Andrews stands out as Charley, Willy's prosperous but "laid-back" neighbor -- the antithesis of Willy himself. Only Bernie Koppel as Howard, Willy's boss, seems an odd choice: he looks more like a college student than like the head of a company. (But perhaps the director, Alex Segal, was just trying to emphasize Willy's age and his failure to "keep up with the times.") This, however, is the only possible weakness in a marvelous production that is essential viewing, if only for the classic portrayals of Cobb and Dunnock.

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"Attention must be paid" to this abbreviated but superb 1966 television adaptation by Arthur Miller of his Pulitzer Prize-winning modern tragedy, starring the incomparable Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock recreating their original Broadway roles as the Lomans. In a career-defining performance, Cobb portrays the suffering Willy Loman--the middle-aged man at the end of his emotional rope--with Dunnock equally impressive as his patient wife, Linda. George Segal and James Farentino play their disillusioned sons, Biff and Happy. Shattering and unforgettable, this landmark television production has been digitally remastered and will endure for all generations to come. "In a word, superb." --New York Times. With Gene Wilder as Bernard.

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