DVD : Hollywoodland (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

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Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: HD DVD
Brand: Universal
EAN: 0025195000208
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Label: Universal Studios
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Universal Studios
Release Date: February 06, 2007
Running Time: 127 minutes
Sales Rank: 21098
Studio: Universal Studios
Theatrical Release Date: September 08, 2006

Editorial Review:

Product Description:
Universal Hollywoodland - HD-DVD/DVD Combo
Based on the true story of Hollywood's most notorious unsolved mystery, "Hollywoodland" features a first-rate castof Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, Academy Award nominee Diane Lane, and Academy Award winner Ben Affleck. This critically acclaimed murder mystery shows the glamour, scandal and corruption of 1950s Los Angeles in a search for the truth that willkeep you guessing at every turn.

Amazon.com:
The fact-based mystery of Hollywoodland takes place in 1959, when the death of Adventures of Superman TV star George Reeves cast a pall over the waning days of golden-age Hollywood. As written by Paul Bernbaum, this intriguing whodunit effectively evokes the tainted atmosphere that surrounded Reeves' death (officially ruled a suicide but never conclusively solved), and speculates on circumstances to suggest that Reeves may have been murdered. In combining the melancholy course of Reeves' career with the investigation of a down-and-out private detective into the possible causes of Reeves' death, the film evolves into an engrossing study of parallels between lives on either side of the Hollywood dream. Building upon a distinguished career in TV including episodes of HBO's The Sopranos, Rome and Six Feet Under, director Allen Coulter finds a satisfying balance between the tragic overtones of the Reeves case and the time-honored elements of the gumshoe genre, with Adrien Brody doing fine work as private eye Louis Simo, a fictional composite character who is our conduit to the desperate yearnings of Reeves' final months.

In a critically acclaimed performance, Ben Affleck plays Reeves in moody flashbacks, caught between Superman stardom and financial dependence on his lover Toni Mannix (Diane Lane), the somewhat predatory wife of Hollywood "fixer" and MGM honcho Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins), whose mob connections suggest foul play as Simo's investigation progresses. Reeves' subsequent lover (played by Robin Tunney) may also be culpable, and as Simo's own personal life unravels, his empathy for Reeves takes on added significance. In presenting its mystery as a set of plausible scenarios, Hollywoodland holds interest as a mystery that's refreshingly compassionate toward the fate of its characters. Warts and all, they're likable dreamers in a town where dreams don't always come true. --Jeff Shannon

Average Rating:

Rating: - EVEN SUPERMAN COULDN'T SAVE THIS MOVIE!
OMG!! Could this movie be any worse?! I thought that Ben Affleck had finally gotten a role that he could sink his teeth into. But all he did was SHOW his teeth, cheesing like an idiot the whole time, even when he was in pain.

The problem with this story is that THERE IS NO STORY! The plot and sub-plots make no sense and fall flat. Based on supposition and theory, this is an attempt to make George Reeves death more spectacular than his boring life. I remember when "Superman" died. ... Read More

Rating: - Great Movie
Great acting, strong supporting cast. This movie was interesting and made you think about what was going on. Definately worth the time and money.

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Rating: - Nuanced performances in interesting examination of fame and disappointment
I've seen , as a child, one or two ancient reruns of the SUPERMAN TV series starring George Reeves. Even in the late `60s, this show looked cheap and uninteresting. Yet for a couple of seasons, it made hunky actor Reeves famous through the nation. It also resulted in typecasting that prevented him from getting any other roles and eventually led him down a path of heavy drinking and other destructive behavior...culminating in his suicide. Simple enough.

But HOLLYWOODLAND informed me ... Read More

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Rating: - Superman's Kryptonite -- The Toni Mannix/George Reeves Story
"He was an iconic guy because of who he played but he died tragically", said Affleck (of George Reeves). "What he had was never enough. You need to learn there are far more things to make you happy, like a wonderful wife and child. I'm lucky I was able to see the hollowness of fame. Family's what really matters."

Ben Affleck and Diane Lane Untraceable star in the film, Hollywoodland, name taken from the original Hollywood sign back in the early 50s (the "land" fell apart, now we have "hollywood"). ... Read More

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Rating: - Great Visual Experience and Story
The story was very good and the HD visuals were great. Of course this is a Combo format so it plays on both HD and any other DVD player.