The Young Ones - Bambi/Nasty/Time
Director: Geoff Posner, Paul Jackson (II)
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (16 July, 2002)
list price: $4.97 -- our price: $4.72
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Features

• Color
• NTSC

Reviews (30)

Bambi Gets His in Psycho Faun Shocker
BAMBI

Rick tries to kill himself with laxatives because nobody listens to him.The boys have a wacky adventure to the laundrette that ends in disappointment.Neil remembers that they've been chosen to represent Scumbag college at University Challenge. The rest of the episode is the absolute best of the entire series.Bambi's secret past comes out: "Bambi Goes Crazy Ape Bonkers with His Drill and Set".The posh kids challenging Scumbag are played exquisitely by Ben Elton, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson. Hard-core fiends agree that this one is best.It is right hard to disagree.

NASTY

Neil takes a bath in muck, wears one of Rick's frilly little girly dresses, and is nearly electrocuted. Vyv and Mike try to set up the video for their "all night orgy of sex and violence".A mysterious package arrives--which turns out to be a vampire from South Africa played by Alexei Sayle.The boys put their faith in pop music and the Damned materialize and play "Nasty" in the living room.Sayle is typically hilarious and Vyv reverts to Catholic terror.Rick is a total ponce as usual.

TIME

This one's got both Dawn French (as the tardy Easter bunny) and Jennifer Saunders (as a homocidal maniac who crashesin Rick's bed). Rick acts like he scored with the chickie but she proves otherwise.Rick and Vyv fight it out over which one is a virgin. Their war eventually involves heavy artillery.The boys find themselves transported back to the middle ages.On the telly is Jester Balowski's Medieval Torture Hour.Alexei Sayle plays Jester and Joan Collins.

Two and a half hilarious episodes
My wife introduced me to these British maniacs of the '80s, and I was instantly hooked.

The Young Ones--ah, why did they make so few episodes? At least, you can enjoy these three. Well, two-and-a-half.

BAMBI--As representatives of their alma mater, Scumbag, the boys take a trainride to the big city to appear on a college game show. (The trainride makes the Beatles' HARD DAYS NIGHT trainride appear tame!) Vyv loses his head. Great cameo by a very young Emma Thompson, and Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" completes the frantic mood.

NASTY--Framed by scenes of an aborted burial in a graveyard (look for MPFC's Terry Jones as a belligerent, drunken vicar), the episode is as close as the lads come to a Halloween episode: vampires from S. Africa, women PMS-ing in hell, and a very scary-looking musical appearance by the Damned. My favorite moment is when Alexei steps out of character to complain about how he's treated by his fellow cast members, only to be proven right when the four actors bad-mouth him. (Neil doing so in a very Californian accent!)

TIME--This is the one-half episode I was referring to. This episode begins with an uproarious parody of "Dallas" (and the pseudo-credits are a riot). Followed by a frantic screaming at church bells by a hungover Vyvyan, Rik is awakened to find a female in his bed. The female in question turns out to be a murderer (played by Adrian Edmondson's future wife, Ab Fab's Jennifer Saunders). When she is accidentally killed, so is the episode, as it degenerates into very uncharacteristically, unoriginal stuff.

Still, this is well worth watching!

Selfish negative vibe merchants need not apply....
A crowning trio of episodes from the 80s British comedy series THE YOUNG ONES.This tape features all shows from the 1984 season and several episodes play more with the concepts and format of the show.

BAMBI - (1984 season) - The boys are picked to represent Scumbag University on University Challenge against Footlights College Oxbridge.Will they triumph or will it be uncool and heavy?One of the most popular of all the episodes, the musical group featured is Motorhead playing "Ace of Spades."Guests include Ben Elton, Stephen Frears and Emma Thompson.

NASTY - (1984 season) - Mike and Vyvyan rent a VTR for the night, for the purpose of watching some video nasties.Technical difficulties and a South African vampire insue.Musical guest is the Damned, singing "Video Nasty."

TIME - (1984 season) - On the heels of a heavy party night, the boys find a girl in Rik's bed, Mike's friend Trevor in the bin, and the whole house somehow transported back to the Middle Ages.Musical guests Amazulu perform "Moonlight Romance." ... Read more

Asin: B00004WG5S
Sales Rank: 19459
Subjects:  1. Television   

Romper Stomper (Special Edition)
Director: Geoffrey Wright
Average Customer Review:
DVD (21 November, 2000)
list price: $26.98
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The burning intensity of Russell Crowe (L.A. Confidential) firstlit up screens as a hate-filled, Mein Kampf-spouting skinhead in this brutal Australian drama. Crowe glowers from under his deep-set eyes as Hando, the creepy but charismatic leader of a racist gang who declares war on the Asian immigrants pouring into Melbourne. His rage erupts in violent attacks on the local Vietnamese community, but when his victims fight back his gang breaks up, and Hando flees the city with his best buddy Davey (Daniel Pollock) and redheaded hellion Gabe (Jacqueline McKenzie), a rich girl runaway who turns the dynamic duo into a splintered love triangle. Writer-director Geoffrey Wright's matter-of-fact treatment of this subculture eschews social commentary for visceral immediacy. His portrait of white supremacist punks living like squatters on the fringes of Australian society is powered by coiled anger and simmering frustration, which finds its outlet in brutal fights and murderous rampages (the intense violence earned the film an NC-17 rating). The lack of moral position may bother some people, especially in light of Wright's sympathetic treatment of particular members of Hando's racist army, and the cold, hate-driven violence is sometimes hard to watch, but his vivid characters and richly drawn world create a compelling drama for adventurous filmgoers. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• DTS Surround Sound
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Reviews (95)

Russell is brilliant
Russell Crowe is by far the best actor to grace the big screen.I felt that his performance in this film is what carried it.As far as NeoNazi movies go, American History X was far far superior, but I felt that the raw emotion portraid by Crowe is well deserving of praise.This movie is harsh, brutal, racey and disturbing all at the same time, and to the movies credit it works well at times...I just feel it lacks what made AHX so great which was heart.In AHX you feel so much for Edward Nortan and even his little brother that your brought to tears in the end.This movie had some raw emotion, mostly stemming from Crowes brilliant performance, and with a little tweak in the script this movie could have been more than just watching Crowe do what he does best.

A biker movie in disguise!
Generic action; might as well be about 1960s bikers; no one would know the difference.And then there's a rich movie director in the plot!And the "pitiful" Asian immigrants do some kung fu fighting!OK movie for the drive-in crowd

Pointless, mindless, gratuitous, and shallow
This movie has been hyped because it brought Russell Crowe to Hollywood's attention.Keep that in mind when watching it, and don't make the mistake I did and BUY it, expecting it to be on par with most of Crowe's later American films.

This is nothing but 90 minutes or so of mind-numbing graphic violence and a one-dimensional depiction of thoroughly hateful and unredeemable characters: there is no attempt to explain their motivations or to make them seem at all human.There is no purpose to it, no emotional depth, and in the final analysis no point in sitting through it unless you enjoy violence for its own sake (I don't).Was it the filmmakers' intention to show the miserable existence of the skinheads and the miserable fates in store for them and their victims?If so, the filmmakers succeeded.Otherwise I see no reason why this film was ever made.

It pales in comparison with the brilliant "The Believer" and even the more conventional, Hollywood-ized "American History X".With those films there was much more than just skinheads spewing rage and hate and inflicting violence on hapless minorities, with a who-cares romantic sublot tacked on.

This film deserves to be watched only by Russell Crowe completists.It's not even one of his better performances.Due to the deficiencies of the script, his character is totally without humanity, so in playing this part he captures only the visceral nature of people who live and die by violence, and soullessly goes through the motions of portraying a soulless man.
Again, was that the fimmakers' intention?
... Read more

Asin: B00004YZEN
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
by Eric Schlosser
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (08 January, 2002)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $10.17
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

On any given day, one out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant, without giving either its speed or its thriftiness a second thought. Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American, and harmless, as apple pie. But the industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. Eric Schlosser, an award-winning journalist, opens his ambitious and ultimately devastating exposé with an introduction to the iconoclasts and high school dropouts, such as Harlan Sanders and the McDonald brothers, who first applied the principles of a factory assembly line to a commercial kitchen. Quickly, however, he moves behind the counter with the overworked and underpaid teenage workers, onto the factory farms where the potatoes and beef are grown, and into the slaughterhouses run by giant meatpacking corporations. Schlosser wants you to know why those French fries taste so good (with a visit to the world's largest flavor company) and "what really lurks between those sesame-seed buns." Eater beware: forget your concerns about cholesterol, there is--literally--feces in your meat.

Schlosser's investigation reaches its frightening peak in the meatpacking plants as he reveals the almost complete lack of federal oversight of a seemingly lawless industry. His searing portrayal of the industry is disturbingly similar to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, written in 1906: nightmare working conditions, union busting, and unsanitary practices that introduce E. coli and other pathogens into restaurants, public schools, and homes. Almost as disturbing is his description of how the industry "both feeds and feeds off the young," insinuating itself into all aspects of children's lives, even the pages of their school books, while leaving them prone to obesity and disease. Fortunately, Schlosser offers some eminently practical remedies. "Eating in the United States should no longer be a form of high-risk behavior," he writes. Where to begin? Ask yourself, is the true cost of having it "your way" really worth it? --Lesley Reed ... Read more

Reviews (1185)

Interesting, but Not Very Actionable
Schlosser summary of the industry provides some interesting, and sometimes outdated, facts.Clearly fast-food focuses on low-costs - sometimes even at the expense of speed.However, it is not the root cause of all the problems cited in the book.

Nonetheless, it was very interesting to learn that the Federal "Work Opportunity Tax Credit" provides up to $2,400 for each new low-income worker hired for at least 400 hours, despite a study finding that about 92% would have been hired anyway.This is paid even for no-growth fast-food minimum-wage jobs with 300-400% turnover!Schlosser also point out that 90% of fast-food workers receive no benefits and work less than 40 hours/week.

Franchising is often touted as a safe way to become a business owner.However, Schlosser states that 38% of all new franchises fail within 4-5 years, vs. a 6% lower failure rate for independent businesses.Further, fast-food franchisees often have to sign away their right to file complaints, must buy only from approved suppliers, sell their franchise only to buyers approved by the chain, and can be terminated at the discretion of the chain.

Schlosser then tracks the evolution of the Monfort meat-packing plant in Greely, CO. - from a friendly, unionized environment with a waiting list to apply, to low-wage, non-union, largely immigrant staffed, high-turnover firm with often dangerous working conditions and no job-security.(Not the fault of fast-food, however,)

Schlosser than goes on to detail cases of food-poisoning at fast-food outlets.Hamburger is particulary problematic because of the vast amount of mixing, and the unsanitary conditions in large feedlots.The good news, however, is that the chains have since set quality standards that seem to have substantially reduced the problem.Unfortunately, we are left without any data on the current state of cleanliness.

Recommendations offered by Schlosser include having eg. McDonald's demand better treatment for farmers and meat-packing workers.Nice idea, but highly unlikely to happen.A more likely source of improvement would come through improved government meat inspection, and the cessation of hiring illiterate illegals (easily cowed into accepting unsafe and unsanitary conditions) - both by the fast-food outlets and the meat-processors.

Do you still want a burger?
Incredible, essential and finally out for all to see.Take a look at what goes into the "American meal" and see if you emerge changed.This book is a gift.

Nothing Beats a Fine Burger
Frankly, there is a dark side to anything and the subtitle of this book is a transparent and alarmist attempt to catch attention and sell books.I for one, resent the author's sometimes snide implication that the market isn't capable of providing healthy food or that people aren't capable of making more educated eating choices.However, for any lover of fine burgage, this is a captivating summary of the history and scope of the fast-food market that is both well-researched and an interesting read.

This book gets four stars based solely upon the author's recognition of the ultra-quality In-n-Out burger--the product of a chain born in Southern California that is fanatically dedicated to providing the freshest and highest-quality fast food according to a recipe and menu that has been unchanged for over 40 years.(Name any other restaurant that can guarantee that the meat was never frozen and where the french fries start their day in potato form and I'll be there buying lunch.)The author's recognition that the entire market is or should be chasing In-n-Out, i.e. focusing on the quality of the food, truly shows that this guy knows his stuff.

If consumers accept crappy merchandise, that is what the market will provide; rather, consumers should demand quality, especially when their food is concerned.Perhaps the message of this book lies more in the fact that so many of us fail to exercise our freedom to discriminate between good and bad even when all it takes is walking across the street to a better restaurant. ... Read more

Isbn: 0060938455
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Convenience foods    4. Corporate & Business History - General    5. Fast food restaurants    6. Food Science    7. Food industry    8. Food industry and trade    9. Industries - General    10. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    11. Popular Culture - General    12. Social History    13. Sociology    14. United States    15. Reading Group Guide   

Super Casino : Inside the "New" Las Vegas
by PETE EARLEY
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (02 January, 2001)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.99
(price subject to change: see help)
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Former Washington Post reporter Pete Earley, whose several books include a study of Leavenworth Prison, turns his meticulous journalistic eye on yet another notorious venue: Las Vegas. Don't expect him to unearth a spate of scandalous doings, though: Sin City isn't quite what it used to be. "Howard Hughes is now only a historical footnote," Earley writes. "Liberace's trademark candelabra sits in a museum. Elvis has been gone so long that tourists often think his impersonators look more like the King than he did. The old Las Vegas is dead."

The new Vegas, however, is very much alive. In two years of visits, with particular access to the Egyptian-themed Luxor Hotel, Earley gathers a comprehensive history of the city's "gaming" industry, including the biographies of such important figures as the Bellagio's Steve Wynn. He also takes a firsthand look into the lives of several Vegas residents and regulars. The book's chapters, often dense with historical fact, are neatly interrupted by fascinating first-person accounts: an old-time dealer talks about being threatened by Frank Sinatra, a hotel manager at a casino gets chewed out by her boss for renting out a $5,000 room to movie stars, and a cab driver talks about falling out of love with this high-rolling town, though he still tries to get his cut of the money. "The money," he says. "There is so much of it in this town that you learn to close your eyes. I hate it but I can't walk away. Who can?" Perhaps the readers of Super Casino will be able to restrain themselves after they read Earley's explanation of how clearly casino odds are stacked against them. --Maria Dolan ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Best book I have ever read
I was not able to put this book down. It is broken into two parts. Part one is the history of Vegas, part two focuses on a handfull of its residents over a year.While I was looking for a book on Vegas, I wanted to know more about personal experiences there, like what was in the second part of the book. I figured I wouldn't care for the history part, and would maybe skip it if it got boring. I was totally wrong. The history part was every bit as engaging. It's really a study in business more than history. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and part two was also. I like the way the author spends a year with these people (prostitiute, security guard, showgirl, etc.) and tells their story thoughout the book, instead of all in one chapter. Very well written. Also, very balanced in my opinion. At no point did I feel the author was judging anything, merely reporting it.

I could go on and on. It's books like this that make fiction look so dull.

Excellent documentary style writing
I loved this book.I was looking for a descriptive work that provided real inside views of Las Vegas.I particularly enjoyed the financial information provided - revenue numbers, salaries etc.

Makes you want to take a road trip
Pete Earley's book provides an incredibly rich account of the many facets that make Vegas the city of dreams: the book details the stories of individual dealers, gamblers, prostitutes, dancers, "weekend warriors," casino barons, etc.Super Casino begins with the rise of the mega-casinos -- funded through loans from a Mormon-run bank and junk bonds -- and ends with the grandiose projects completed at the turn of the century.

It is the people in this book that make it interesting.The reader feels the energy that drives individual ambitions and dreams.While not every story is a happy one, every story is an interesting one.I gave it four stars only because the book is a bit "light": while entertaining and a quick read, it doesn't really attempt to delve beyond the surface details of the stories presented. ... Read more

Isbn: 0553573497
Subjects:  1. Casinos    2. Gambling    3. Gambling.    4. History - General History    5. Las Vegas    6. Las Vegas (Nev.)    7. Nevada    8. Popular Culture - General    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. United States - State & Local - General    12. Social Science / Popular Culture   

Canon PowerShot S110 2MP Digital ELPH Camera Kit with 2x Optical Zoom
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $599.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Canon's update to the PowerShot S100, the PowerShot S110, packs a high-quality digital camera into the tiny, elegant body of Canon's Digital Elph series. The idea behind the Elph line is simple: create a camera small enough to slip into a shirt pocket, so you can take it anywhere. To improve upon the impressive specs of the original, Canon upgraded the image processor, making it both faster and more effective in maximizing color fidelity and saturation. Additionally, the S110 has the ability to record QuickTime movies. A new, tiny microphone is embedded in the front of the camera.

The basics include 2-megapixel resolution (1,600 x 1,200 image resolution) for high-quality photos and prints up to 8 by 10 inches; an all-glass aspherical 2x zoom lens (and a 2.5x digital zoom as well). A 1.5-inch LCD monitor displays most camera settings with easy-to-understand icons and minimal text. The built-in flash uses a light guide and does not need a Fresnel lens or a large reflector, making the camera even more compact.

The PowerShot S110 stores images on an included 8 MB CompactFlash card. Adobe PhotoDeluxe and PhotoStitch control image management, editing, compositing, and printing, while ZoomBrowser EX or ImageBrowser produce self-running screen slide shows, automatic e-mail preparation, and auto layout. The camera uses a high-speed plug-and-play USB interface, plus it has NTSC-out so you can view your photos on your TV. It's fully compatible with both Mac and PC platforms. ... Read more

Features

• 2.1 megapixel sensor captures 1600 x 1200 stills for prints up to 8 x 10
• 2x optical plus 2.5x digital zoom lens with autofocus
• Included 8 MB CompactFlash card holds 12 images at default resolution
• Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port
• Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery included

Reviews (165)

Decent photos, not too reliable, lacks attention to details!
I got this camera as a replacement for my giant (but wonderful) film camera when it first came out. It was great to just stick it in my purse and go. After a couple months the LCD screen stopped working.Even when I took a picture it would come up black on my computer.I sent it back to Canon and they fixed it.Wish it would've worked right the first time around.

There's a lag between when you hit the button and when it actually takes the picture (results in some funny-looking posed pictures because people think the picture's already been taken!). It doesn't take very good indoor photos (flash looks harsh, doesn't focus well).And action shots are kind of a problem unless they're from a distance. The colors don't seem very true-to-life.

I just got a photo printer and printed out a lot of photos taken with this camera and a few taken with a friend's newish Sony 4 megapixel camera.His photos were all much sharper and had much truer color.

my best friend
I love my Canon Powershot S110. I've had it for about 2 and a half years now and it still works like it did when it was brand new.I've seen the latest Powershot Digital Elph (Ixus) cameras, and sure they are improvements on the S110, but there's something about the S110's heavy metallic casing that makes it long-lasting and extremely durable, perhaps more durable than the latest in this product line.The picture quality is great, comparable to the latest Digital Elphs.I've taken this camera to Europe and back, twice, to Japan, and across the US, always carrying it in my front pants pocket.I'm not planning to buy a new digital camera until my S110 stops working, which probably won't be for a long time.

Lights. Camera. Action!
I've had this camera for almost two years and I love it.

It's the perfect first camera for users who are comfortable with technology. There are simpler (and cheaper) cameras for people who are less compfortable with technology.

This one packs the right amount of sophistication in features, and simplicity in usage - and all that in one small little bundle!

It's strong points:
* small.
* light.
* solid (dropped mine a couple of times and its still going strong).
* good zoom.
* good battery life.
* auto-flash - which is so helpful for amateurs like myself who are never sure about how much light is enough.
* some more advanced ones (manual flash, timer, etc.) if you want to experiment and improve your skills.
* comes with software to download and retouch your photos, rendering the process relatively easy.

All in all, this camera and Canon's Powershot line are an excellent choice for most people. ... Read more

Asin: B00005LB8P
Subjects:  1. Digital Camera (Cameras)    2. Photograph (Photography)