Product Details

• Actors: Michael Boatman, Lori Petty, Erich Anderson, Richard Anderson, Thomas Babson
• Directors: Charles Burnett
• Writers: Charles Burnett, John Eddie Johnson, Ned Welsh
• Producers: Carolyn Schroeder, Chet Walker, Michael D. Aglion, Patrick Peach
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Spanish (Unknown)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Miramax
• DVD Release Date: August 16, 2005
• Run Time: 109 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0009ML2QK
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,211 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Glass Shield (Miramax Collector's Series)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Eager rookie J.J. Johnson (Michael Boatman) is the only black officer in a Los Angeles sheriffs' substation. He soon comes up against ingrained racism, corruption, and violence on the force as he tries to fit in. A young black man (Ice Cube) is pulled in as a murder suspect after a wealthy man's wife is shot in a botched armed robbery. Boatman and Deputy Fields (Lori Petty) soon realize that the facts in the case don't add up and dig a bit deeper. They soon find a maze of deceit that extends upward from the sheriffs to L.A. city government. Though slow and rather convoluted, this film has an absorbing story worthy of Joseph Wambaugh and an interesting cast to hold viewers' attention. Blaxploitation vet Bernie Casey excels as Ice Cube's defense attorney, and Boatman is fine as the wide-eyed Johnson. Director Charles Burnett infuses a sense of dread and foreboding into sunny Los Angeles locations and well-lit convenience stores that turns the rules of dimly lit thrillers upside down. He also does a fair job of capturing the macho-cowboy mentality of the all-white sheriffs, complete with styled hair and heavy mustaches. Considering the timely subject matter, this film could have easily become heavy-handed cop opera, but the character development and performances are strong enough to lift it above the level of invective. After all, it's a scenario that's all too believable in light of late-1990s events. --Jerry Renshaw

Product Description

GLASS SHIELD MIRAMAX COLLECTION EDITI - DVD Movie

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A deserving special edition for this movie, September 16, 2005

By 

Cubist (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Glass Shield (Miramax Collector's Series) (DVD)

Charles Burnett is one of America's most underrated filmmakers working today. Unlike his African-American contemporary, Spike Lee, he is not an outspoken personality in his own right, preferring to let the work speak for itself. In many respects, his films are self-aware in terms of social conscience as John Sayles' own work. As a result, Burnett also finds it hard to get his movies widely distributed. The Glass Shield was his attempt to reach a wider audience by having Miramax distribute it. Sadly, like Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man, it was subjected to the same lackluster release by Miramax head honcho, Harvey Weinstein and promptly disappeared.

Stylistically, Burnett is not as in-your-face as Spike Lee, preferring to let the content and the characters deliver his message. That's not to say his films don't have their own style-The Glass Shield is a well-shot movie (adopting a colour scheme that reflects Johnson's comic book fantasies)-it just doesn't cause unnecessary attention to itself.

There is an audio commentary by writer/director Charles Burnett and composer Stephen James Taylor. Burnett points out that the cops are conditioned not to trust anyone before they are sent out on patrol and this often explains their hostile behaviour on the streets. This is an intelligent, conversational track with lots of excellent observations by both men with some good stories told by Burnett.

"A Conversation with Charles Burnett" is a featurette that alternates between clips from the movie and Burnett talking.

"Film Scoring with Stephen James Taylor" explores this composer's creative process. He drew from all kinds of musical genres with Negro spiritual melodies as the score's heart. He also talks about the origins of key musical cues from the movie.

Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Little Gem, March 7, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Glass Shield (DVD)

I liked this modest budget cop thriller movie very much. A great ensemble cast was assembled with well known and recognizable actors (including Ice Cube, Lori Petty, Michael Boatman, Michael Ironside, M. Emmett Walsh, Elliot Gould) for reportedly very little money. The production values are also top notch for a low budget film. The Director, Charles Burnett, a MacArthur "Genius" Grant award winner and the writer-director of the acclaimed "To Sleep With Anger", apparently attracted top talent and key crew people for this film.

Although there are no big, expensive stunts, there is plenty of suspense and drama. The film is supposed to be based upon true events and stories, making it more realistic and compelling.

I highly recommend this film.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended., November 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Glass Shield [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This movie was pretty good. I started watchin this movie with my friends and they said it was a LA CONFIDENTIAL ripoff. I think that it wasn't and i think it was awesome.