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The film was "The Field" (1991), for which the late Richard Harris received an Oscar nomination, though failing to make the conversion (if I may use rugby parlance). Set in 1930s rural Ireland, Harris stars as Old "Bull" McCabe a dark and brooding man who has bullied and terrorized not ... Read review
A book which gives scientific proof of the paranormal. Psychic activity remote viewing ... more
the power of prayer and homoeopathy are all discussed. The energy found in the vacuum - or the zero point field - seems to be the key to all sorts of unexplained phenomena: ESP or remote viewing homeopathy energy medicine spiritual healing and even the homing instincts of animals. Lynne McTaggart follows the life and work of disparate physicists pioneers in the area where the paranormal meets quantum physics.
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The aim of this book is to demonstrate the importance of qualitative research first ... more
through an examination of the data it produces, and second, by using first-hand research accounts of ethnographic work. Topics covered include drug dealing, football hooliganism, entrepreneurial crime, the culture of policing, policing and the miners' strike.
Takes a critical look at the developments and key issues in fieldwork in Anthropology. ... more
This book features various ethnographic studies that provide ways of looking at the concepts of 'locality' and 'site'. It shows that anthropologists are well-placed to examine and critique the totalizing assumptions behind these notions.
This volume discusses such topics as: successes and contradictions in "multiracial" ... more
Brazilian football; the political role of football for Palestinians in Jordan; and football and violence in war-torn Africa - soccer and social rehabilitation in Sierra Leone.
Homer Smith (Sidney Poitier), an itinerant handyman, is driving through the Arizona desert ... more
when he meets five impoverish nuns. Stopping to fix their leaky farmhouse roof, Homer discovers that not only will the Mother Superior not pay him for the job, she also wants him to build the chapel - for free! Hesitant at first, Homer soon finds himself single handedly raising the chapel and the financing. But although he will not receive a monetary reward, Homer knows that when his work is done, he'll leave that dusty desert town a much better place than when he found it.
Production Year: 1999 - Drama - Director: Dick Maas - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: William Hurt, Jennifer Tilly, Denis Leary, Michael Chiklis, Francesca Brown
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1945 - Drama - Director: David Lean - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey, Cyril Raymond
Advantages: Richard Harris, John Hurt Disadvantages: Awful dialogue, pompous, overblown, predictable.....
...many references were made in the media to his Oscar-wining performance in "Ryan's Daughter". Initially I could not remember him being in it until I realized I had been thinking of another film set in Ireland and with one or two other similarities.
The film was "The Field" (1991), for which the late Richard Harris received an Oscar nomination, though failing to make the conversion (if I may use rugby parlance). Set ... ...only his family, but also the small village in which he lives for decades. As the film opens his wife has not spoken to him for eighteen years, since the suicide of their second son. McCabe now lives with his other son Tadgh (Sean Bean) who helps him farm a field close to their home; the field belongs to an English widow (played by Frances Tomelty) who lives in the village. Even she does not escape McCabe's cruel and vicious temper. He has made her ... more
When Sir John Mills died recently, many references were made in the media to his Oscar-wining performance in "Ryan's Daughter". Initially I could not remember him being in it until I realized I had been thinking of another film set in Ireland and with one or two other similarities.
The film was "The Field" (1991), for which the late Richard Harris received an Oscar nomination, though failing to make the conversion (if I may use rugby parlance). Set in 1930s rural Ireland, Harris stars as Old "Bull" McCabe a dark and brooding man who has bullied and terrorized not only his family, but also the small village in which he lives for decades. As the film opens his wife has not spoken to him for eighteen years, since the suicide of their second son. McCabe now lives with his other son Tadgh (Sean Bean) who helps him farm a field close to their home; the field belongs to an English widow (played by Frances Tomelty) who lives in the village. Even she does not escape McCabe's cruel and vicious temper. He has made her life a misery for years, farming the land but at the same time demanding that she should let him have the field. Eventually the widow, having had enough, decides to sell the field to the highest bidder. McCabe thinks that his moment has come - with everyone in the village terrified of him, surely no one will outbid him…
Predictably though (an adjective more than apt for this film) a rival comes along in the shape of a wealthy Irish American (played by Tom Berenger). Keen to return to his roots, he is willing to pay more than double McCabe's maximum bid to secure the land. The reason? He wants to use the field for staging access for a quarry a wish that sets McCabe against him even more firmly. When the American is murdered it seems like no one need look too far for a motive or a culprit….
The story was adapted by the director, Jim Sheridan (director of "My Left Foot"), from a play by John B Keane; it is a simple tale which operates on a couple of levels, but which seems to have been "over-directed" with unnecessary attempts at symbolism which serve only to heighten the feeling of this being a very slow film. The dialogue is predominantly made up of long and over-blown speeches - fortunately the delivery is, on the whole, good. Harris is superb as the thundering bully and thoroughly deserved his Oscar nomination. Sean Bean, however, is his usual wooden self though the role of the intellectually challenged young man, too afraid to tell his father he does not want to follow in his footsteps, is not very meaty and seems insufficiently developed; it was his character that reminded me of "Ryan's Daughter" in which John Mills gave an incredible performance as the "village idiot" (to use a colloquialism, prevalent at the time) - perhaps if Bean had used a similarly silent technique we might have been spared his nativity play speeches. Brenda Fricker (who appeared in Jim Sheridan's "My Left Foot") offered an opportunity to shine but, despite the fact that her character and McCabe have not spoken for nearly two decades the ensuing encounter is disappointing and fails to take advantage of the growing drama which has led to it. Aside from Harris, the only other cast member to offer any kind of relief is John Hurt (the very!) in his portrayal of "Bird O'Donnell, one of McCabe's hired hands; he puts in a fine performance as the trouble-maker, a character who contributes much to the drama of the story.
As a story about an old man struggling to come to terms with his life changing this is moderately entertaining if a little grim and predictable. There is little to lift it aside from the couple of good performances and some good shots of the west of Ireland (cinematography - Jack Conroy) although the sombre tone of the film is reflected in the bruised skies, barren landscapes and dark colours, all adding to the ominous and, at times, depressing feeling of the piece as a whole. Elmer Bernstein's score also provides some relief - a simple soundtrack that uses traditional Irish sounds and styles. Where the film becomes annoying is in the attempts to add extra layers of meaning which I felt made the whole thing even muggier - the conflict between father and son, the conflict between the English and the Irish, the relationship between man and the land - excessively overplayed when McCabe blows the seeds from a dandelion. Ironically, it is not Harris's performance that is at the core of this "hamminess", rather it is the dramatic devices intended to create this symbolism that tired me. This period of Irish history with the recent departure of the majority of English from Ireland is a fascinating one and I feel that the film would have benefited from this being more clearly used as sub-plot than the pompous symbolism attempted instead.
When deciding whether to recommend this film I took into consideration the fine performances from Harris and Hurt. Hurt has consistently put in terrific performances in everything I have seen him do though and so I would not recommend "The Field" based only on this. For Harris I think this is an especially notable film and one that I would advise anyone to watch to see how talented he could be. It is on the basis of Harris performance that I have made my recommendation. Do watch "The Field" but don't blame me if you feel thoroughly depressed ad the end credits scroll up the screen!
PLEASE NOTE - this review is based on film only although it is available on DVD.
Advantages: Heartwarming story Disadvantages: none
I recently watched an uplifting and feel good film on DVD called, Field of Dreams. It is a by Phil Alden Robinson film released in 1989.
Field of Dreams is about an Iowa farmer, Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), who hears a voice speak to him whilst he is tending to his crops. The voice tells him "If you build it, he will come." Ray also has a vision of a baseball field and interprets this to mean that he should uproot one of his cornfields and build the field. Ray is shocked to see baseball player, Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta), and seven other Chicago White Sox players appear on the filed. All these players were banned from the 1919 World Series for allegedly throwing games. Ray seeks further guidance from reclusive author, Terence Mann (James Earl Jones), who he believes has further knowledge about the baseball field?s purpose. Ray ...
Advantages: No religous overtones, deals with a persons pain Disadvantages: You'll need a box of tissues!
Sometimes it's amazing just how engrossed one can become in a film. Fields Of Dreams is a film that I had, until now, never seen all the way through in one sitting. I'm glad I did as it is a film that can be inspirational and also makes the viewer able to put things into perspective in life. Its also a film that generically speaking is something that everyone can relate to terms of what the film is about.
Ray Kinsella is a family man who is running a farm in Iowa, when Ray is working the corn fields, he hears a voice telling him "If you build it, he will come" along with a vision of an American baseball field. From this he realises that he has been sent a message and decides to build this to allow "him" to come, only problem is that he is not sure who the he actually is and why. The main reason that he has done this is to allow ...
Advantages: Heartwarming and entertaining Disadvantages: The plot is very erratic, but makes a good story
If you havent already seen Field of Dreams, well now is the time. As a rule you should have seen this movie as young kid. Originally based on a book called "Shoeless Joe" it was filmed in 1989 and has a running time of 101 mins. It has a PG certificate.
DVD Features: Feature Commentary with Director and Director of photography, Field of Dreams Scrapbook including Making of, Trailer, Production Notes, Cast and filmmakers' Biographies.
This is probably Kevin Costner's finest hour, he plays the part of a local farmer, Ray Kinsella, who starts hearing mysterious words of wisdom from his crop. The film revolves around the slogan "If you build, he will come", but exactly is the crop talking about? What should he build? Who will come? these are the questions Ray sets out to answer..
Supported by his wife Annie (Amy Madigan) they set ...
An Irishman is prepared to fight to retain the small piece of land he has toiled over for many years. An American wants to buy the land but the seller cannot afford to lose his battle. The field holds a dark secret that must be protected at all costs.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
CINEMA CLUB; SONY DADC
Release date
03/12/2001
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
CCD 8696
Barcode
5014138286965
Languages
Main Language
English
Subtitle Language
None
Technical information
Special Features
Interactive Menus, Trailer
Aspect Ratio
4:3 Full Frame
Sound
Dolby Digital Stereo
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital Stereo English
DVD Description
Based on a play by John B. Keane, THE FIELD tells the story of Bull McCabe (Richard Harris), a tradition-bound Irishman who fights to retain the land that his family has been farming for generations. McCabe, who rents the land from a young widow (Frances Tomelty), hopes to take full possession of it when the widow puts it up for auction. None of the villagers try to oppose the fearsome McCabe, but a smooth-talking young Irish American utilities developer (Tom Berenger) attempts to outbid him, shocking the entire village and igniting a tense battle between the two men. As the battle builds toward deadly consequences it threatens to jar loose the McCabe family's dark, painful secret--one that's kept Bull's wife (Brenda Fricker) from talking to him for 18 years. Director Jim Sheridan (IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, MY LEFT FOOT) coaxes brilliant performances from the cast, most notably Berenger, John Hurt as a local simpleton in a brilliant and devastating characterization, and Harris, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his astonishing portrayal of McCabe, one that elevates THE FIELD into the rarified air of Shakespearean tragedy.
