Reviews (116)

Makes me happy every time!
This is an all time favorite of mine and absolutely guaranteed to lift my spirits each time I watch it.

Michael Douglas plays somewhat against his usual type as a likeable, widowed, well-meaning single father who is also the President of the United States, Andrew Shepherd. He becomes romantically interested in an environmental lobbyist, Sidney Ellen Wade (Annette Benning) which turns out to cause a lot of problems for both of them.

These two high-powered actors manage to humanize their characters into ordinary, likable people who are just trying to fall in love despite unbelievable opulence of surroundings, ugly political maneuvering and living inside a media fishbowl of publicity. Along the way, there are plenty of funny, heartwarming moments including a couple of very funny telephone calls. (Imagine what YOU would do if you suddenly received a call from someone who claimed to be the President of the United States)

David Paymer, Michael J. Fox and Martin Sheen are excellent in their supporting roles as advisors to the President and Shawna Waldron is wonderful as the 1st daughter.

If you love humorous dialog, beautiful, nearly fairy-tale settings and happy endings, be sure to see this movie. You won't be disappointed.

A fireball of fun from the start
Who would think that widower Andrew Sheppard's (Michael Douglas)decision to date Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) would cause such a scandal? Normally that wouldn't make every news reporter jump. Except when Andrew Sheppard happens to be the President of the United States and Sydney Ellen Wade is a liberal lobbyist. And did I mention that it is an election year?

As President Sheppard's character ratings falling from personal best 68% to the low 40's, his interests become torn between the crime bill (his top priority) and Sydney's-passing Energy Bill 455. And it is up to the White House staff members A.J. MacInnerey (Martin Sheen), Lewis Rothschild (Michael J. Fox), Leon Kodak (David Paymer), Robin McCall(Anna Deavere Smith) to help him maintain focus against his rival, Bob Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss)

Filled with humor and unforgettable moments, you will not be able to watch The American President just once. The word 'charming' does not do enough justice to this wonderful piece of work.

Just Average...
I found this film to be just average. The story is nice, but a little unbelievable and very predictable. These films are usually my type, but for some reason, this one didn't do anything for me.

ALL GLORY TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY!!!!!
TAKE THAT YOU BABY EATING REPUBLICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAME GOES TO YOU THIRD PARTY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY YOU NUTTY, COMMUNIST LIBERATARIANS AND 'INDEPENDENT' VOTERS, MOST OF WHOM MOST LIKELY EAT BABIES AS WELL!!!!!!!! HURRAY FOR ENVIRONMENTALISM!!!!!!!!! HURRAY FOR HUGE GOVERNMENT!!!!!!!!! HURRAY FOR HIGH TAXES!!!!!!! HURRAY FOR THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT!!!!!!

I love the President!
I absolutely loved "The American President"! I thought all characters and the plot was great, as well as being written with humour and intelligence! Great acting, and wow is Michael Douglass a good president, not to mention a hunk! I'd certainly vote for him! ... Read more

Reviews (145)

Despite Flaws, Recall Is Total As A Fun Sci-Fi Story
Paul Verhoeven has become among Hollywood's better known directors. His most recent work, Starship Troopers, did well at the box office thanks to its outstanding special effects, interesting premise, and surprisingly good cast.

Verhoeven first earned widespread movie fame with Robocop, but it was 1990's Total Recall that stands as his best work.

Arnold Schwarzenegger gives a genuinely great performance as Douglas Quaid, a construction worker in the late 21st Century who, out of an unconquerable fascination with Mars - now a colony run by vicious corporate dictator Vilhos Cohaagen - goes to Rekall, Inc., a company that implants "memories" of experiences in those willing to pay. But when Rekall implants a memory of a trip to Mars, it "pops a memory cap" in Quaid, who turns out not to be who he thinks he is. When his wife Lori (the overrated Sharon Stone in the only performance of hers that is truly worth watching) tries to kill him, Quaid forces! her to tell him that a supersecret Agency under the direction of Cohaagen erased his memory and implanted a new one.

Quaid dodges the guns of the murderous Richter (a delightfully insane performance by Michael Ironside) and gets help from a former buddy of his on Mars. He then travels to the Red Planet and gets mixed up in a bloody civil war between Cohaagen's goons and rebel followers of a being called Kuato. But seemingly nothing is as it appears to Quaid, until he learns from Kuato just what the secret is that Cohaagen wants.

It is fairly easy to point out what is wrong with this film - it is excessively violent and gory, and includes some action scenes - like a bloody bar brawl - that are unnecesary. The pivotal scene - when Quaid is strapped in an implant chair to have his memory erased again, but he rips free and slaughters the scientists performing the procedure - is effective, but ruined because it allows Quaid to pull off an absurd flexing of muscle - he rips ! a heavy arm restraint out, anchor and all, and rips it thro! ugh the throat of one Cohaagen scientist thug. There is also the usual absurdity of action films - the wholesale slaughter of enemy soldiers without so much as a scratch on the one or two good guys. There is also a PREPOSTEROUS speech by Cohaagen during the final act that is a glaring example of the cliche of the villian who has the hero cornered, but spends so much time talking it gives the hero an opportunity.

Nonetheless, it is a superior script, with many twists and a fascinating climax. END

"See you at the party Richter."
Total Recall is one of those movies I can watch over and over and never get sick of. It is what every true Arnold fan wants in an Arnold flick. And aside from being one of Arnold's best films it is a very great sci-fi flick period.

Arnold plays everyman Douglas Quaid, a guy living an average life on the near future earth who is obsessed with the idea of going to Mars(which is colonized). He decides to go to a futuristic company called Recall, which sells it's customers memories of vacations they did not really take. Quaid decides to do it and while the salesman is making his pitch he poses the question, "what is the same about every vaction you have ever taken?" The answer: You. So Quaid buys the secret agent package and that is when the action begins. Suddenly everyone is out to get Quaid and he can't figure it out, all he knows is he has to get his "a** to Mars." He does and the film really takes off with mutants, rebels, women, corruption, double crossing, heavy carnage, planet saving, and Arnold, smack in the middle of all of it.

The story in summary can actually be found within the movie, which is a very unusual plot device, but it works in this film. The guy at Recall says by the time this is over you will kill the bad guys, get the girl, and save the planet. So is Total Recall a dream or a reality. This question is one of the things that makes it such an engaging movie because you don't know. Really though the best part of this film is Arnold. He is in tip top form in this film and it is certainly one of his best. The character allows him all the elements to shine, odds against him, guys always trying to fight him, lots of guns, and terrific one-liners. Paul Verhoeven(Robocop, Basic Instict) has crafted a awesome film. The set direction is great and it makes the fantastic action that much better. Sure Verhoeven may get a little carried away with violent nature of his action, but would anyone really want this film any other way? Not me.

Total Recall is a blast. On an additional note I just picked up the DVD Collector's Edition and it is a must have for fans. The commentary with Verhoeven and Arnold is hilarious and the making of's are very well done. This is one of those films that will become a classic over time because that is what it is, CLASSIC.

ETMR - Total Recall
1. Humanity: What problems do you see in the Mars colony in the film? Is the colony a feasible idea for today?

2. Implications: The movie is centered around the question of what is reality, and how to discern truth from fiction. What dangers does the film speak of for today, in terms of distinguishing reality from a created world?

3. Evolution: It could be said that the technology expressed in the film is very basic, compared to technological innovation today. Concepts like terraforming using a combustion of air, planetary colonies with glass windows, and cheap, robotic androids are all scientific anomolies in that they seem to belong to a past age. How has the technology in the movie changed in our world?

4. Realism: Philip K. Dick's stories are heralded because of their closeness to what an actual future will be like. Do you think the story in Total Recall is an accurate prophecy for the future?

5. Stageplay: Verhoeven, the director, is known for his elaborate and overblown stories told with a comedic satire, using colorful special effects. But aside from the eye candy, do the actors convince you?

Verhooven to subtle for his own good...
I used to hate this film. Which is odd, because I like Philip Dick, I like Verhooven and, then, I liked Schwatzenegger. The film was actually good up to the end. I just thought the end was too soapy and stuid even by Hollywood standards. Then I read the book "Dead Air" by Iain Banks. There the film is explained, and suddenly it all made sense to me. Verhooven's films are full of action and gore, which tend to overshadow that they also tend to have a quite strong message. That's why Total Recall always bothered me: where is the message? But it is there, quite obvious really: it all takes place in Schwartzenegger's head; he is still in the reality simulator! That would explain why things start happening shortly after his visit there. It would explain why the girl on Mars looks exactly like the girl he chooses for the reality simulation. The whole ending with them close to dying in the low pressure on Mars is a total replay of what he experiences in the beginning, when we know he is in the reality simulator. Finally, it explains how ridicilously fast the Martian atmosphere is replenished by the melting glacier. Suddenly the film becomes really good, and truly follows the spirit of Dick. I think I must watch it again.

"Come to Rekall!"
Another Arnie flick? I've already lost count... Well anyway, this film, loosely based on Phillip K. Dick's "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" is pretty much worth your while, especially since Arnie has one of his better roles here.
Doug Quaid (Arnie) has dreamed continuously of going to Mars. He talks with his wife Lori (Sharon Stone) about it, but she does not like the idea. One day, Quaid hears about a company named Rekall that can take you on a virtual vacation. Arnie tries it out, only to find that nothing is what it seems... and that he may not really be who he thinks he is. He travels to Mars, and discovers that he is a rebel leader fighting against the ruthless Cohagen (Ronnie Cox) and his man Richter (Michael Ironside).
Arnie acts well in this flick, Sharon Stone is good as his wife, and Cox and Ironside act as if they are truly evil. The story is somewhat complex, and will have you hooked.
BUT: Don't forget that this is a Paul Verhoeven film, and Paul Verhoeven=Lots of shooting and gore. This is definately not for the squeamish, but if you can stomach it, you be on for a wild ride. ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Perhaps the funniest sports comedy of all time
This is simply a hilarious movie about a hockey team fighting for its very survival in Charlestown, West Virginia. The style of hockey portrayed in the movie is Don Cherry-style "Old Time Hockey" - Sweethearts who don't like violence in sports should check out another video.
Although Paul Newman stars, it is the no-name actors (minor league hockey players in real life) who play the Hanson brothers who steal the show.
Life eventually imitated art: A couple of years after this movie came out, the Boston Bruins went into the stands to beat up fans in New York's Madison Square Garden, and, a few years later, the Montreal Canadians and Philadelphia Flyers had a huge brawl before the game even started - just like in this movie.

One of the funniest films ever!
Like USED CARS, this movie is bawdy, rude, over the top, politically incorrect, profane, gratuitous, and loving every minute of it! Newman plays the captain of a bush-league hockey team that's going down the tubes. For most of the players, it's either hockey or an assembly-line job, so Newman decides to bring in the fans with violence. He succeeds, thanks to some brilliant manipulation and a trio of hockey-playing idiot savants (mostly idiot) named the Hanson Brothers. This is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. The first scene where the Hanson's get off the bench (heck, EVERY scene with the Hansons) is a classic and will make you laugh until you need surgery! The DVD isn't much better than the VHS, unfortunately, as far as picture quality or features go. There are some alternate language tracks (if you're a big fan of Newman in French), but no director's commentary, etc. SEE THIS MOVIE! Every performance is hilarious and perfectly-cast. George Roy Hill (who also directed Newman in the classics BUTCH CASSIDY and THE STING) seems to just bring out Newman's best no matter what the genre. Also Strother Martin (of COOL HAND LUKE, "failure to communicate") fame, is in this and is totally hilarious!

HAT TRICK.
Many were amazed that SLAP SHOT was written by a woman when it was released in 1977. More amazing was that Nancy Dowd's original screenplay was robbed of an Oscar nomination in 1977. Dowd got the feel of the game and the players as perfect as the paint on the blue lines (her brother Ned Dowd plays the infamous Oggie Ogelthorpe in a nano-second cameo that has reverbs throughout the film). George Roy Hill works his A-list players, Newman, Strother Martin and the now heralded Hanson Brothers, into sports (not just sports films) legends. SLAP SHOT is a winner.

Baldwin needs to be a little more observant!
Um, did you perhaps fail to notice that this is an R rated movie? That usually means that there is a fair amount of coarse language, expletives, violence, nudity, etc. Just what made you think that this was a movie for children? Anyway, it's a great movie and being a *huge* Paul Newman fan, I really enjoyed seeing him in this very amusing comedy role.

Baldwin you are clueless
As a hockey player and hockey coach I can tell you one thing, you are not a hockey dad. This movie is definately one of the most hilarious sports movies ever. Don't even bother with any other hockey movie, except maybe Youngblood, because those other movies, especially Mighty Ducks (puke) is not hockey, flying V my behind (did we forget about offsides?).
The Hanson brothers were everyone's heroes. While we all wished to be Gretzky or Orr, we all wanted to be the Hansons. They are some of the best caricatures of hockey players in the 1970s. Hockey was a brutal, lawless game that while some had skating skills, most had fighting skills. It was fun growing up in the 70's and early 80's playing hockey as a kid. While playing high school and college was not quite like this movie, go see a junior game or a USHL game and this is what you'll see, albeit a bit more toned down.
Mighty Ducks - please. Give me Reg Dunlop, Killer Carlson and the Hansons - which being from Minnesota gives me pleasure seeing some hometown skaters. Enjoy the movie, enjoy the hits and the humor. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Warm, Daring, and Wonderful Love Trip...
The aspiring teacher Daniel Bannier (Moritz Bleibtreu) has just finished his last day before summer break as a substitute teacher. Daniel has planned to stay in Hamburg over the summer sitting in solitude on his balcony reading books about physics and listening to jazz while everyone else is leaving for an exotic vacation. A boring stiff could sum up Daniel's persona before he met the street vendor Juli (Christiane Paul) who has fallen in love with Daniel. Juli urges Daniel to buy a Mayan ring with the mark of a sun from her as she reveals for him that the love of his life will be wearing a sun. Juli is scheming a love trap for Daniel as she invites him to a street party, however, Daniel is unaware Juli's affections for him and instead meets meets Melek (Idil Üner), a beautiful Turkish girl, as Juli is late to the party.

Melek needs to find a place for the night and she is flying to Turkey the next morning. However, she unveils that she is to meet her beloved under the bridge at Bosphorus strait that divides two continents. After Daniel has dropped off Melek at the airport he realizes that he must go to Istanbul in order to meet her under the bridge. When Daniel begins his journey he sees a hitchhiker whom he picks up, and it is no other than Juli who has decided to escape her sad loss of Daniel by travel. This is the beginning of a long journey for Daniel as he is forced to leave his secure little world and do a lot of things that he would never otherwise have done.

In July is a wonderful love story that offers much laughter and entertainment as the audience probably can relate to the feelings of both Daniel and Juli. Most of the story is told in a flashback as Daniel tells his tale for a mysterious man with a corpse in the trunk, which adds a level of suspense to the film. In the end, Faith Akin has directed a terrific cinematic experience that can lighten the heaviest of hearts and share some hope for those in need of a cheering up.

The movie that has everything
I'm writing this review because I would like "In Juli" to get the attention it deserves. I saw it in New York about 2 years ago. It literally was shown for 3 days and then completely disappeared. I know no one who saw it, or even heard of it,and that is a shame.
"In Juli" is a comedy, a mystery, a road story and it has fabulous scenery of eastern and southern Europe. But, best of all, it has the most romantic line, I've ever heard in a movie - we'll it's at the top of the list, along with all the best ones you've heard. I won't say what it is, you'll just have to buy the video.
The acting is splendid, my favorite one being Christianne Paul playing Juli, the lead female character. She is beautiful, smart and knowing and has a terrific smile. Moritz Bleibtreu plays Daniel, the male lead and it is wonderful watching him transform to someone who is basically not present in his life, to someone who can have adventures, fall down, get up and fall in love. The acting, overall, is excellent and as the story builds, you end of liking and routing for all the characters.
One of the many levels the movie is about is having to travel and have experiences that ultimately help you grow and change, and finally be able to see that the real love that you are looking for is right in front of you - you just need to be open to see it.

Fatih Akin's Funniest
Fatih Akin is a marvel.

Since other reviewers have already provided you with a synopsis of the film, I prefer to compare "Im Juli (In July)" to other films by Akin that I have seen: "Kurz und Schmerzlos (Short and Painless)" and "Gegen die Wand (Against the Wall)".

Short and Painless was his first film, and it was him at his rawest. It seemed to be a young director's dream film which included a little bit of everything that he's interested in. I believe a lot in the film was autobiographical.

Against the Wall is a grown up Akin with a lot of pain and suffering. I remember twitching in my seat in a few scenes and as usual, I was baffled by the excellent character build up.

In July is funnier and more relaxed than the other two. I think it's a good intro to Akin's filmmaking, his extraordinary yet out-of-life characters and his great sense of humour and eye for detail & observation.

This film is highly recommended I can't wait till the DVD comes out!

Fantastic, heart-warming film
First time I saw "In July", made me long for the days of taking to the road and seeing where it took you. Film is about Daniel, a shy teacher in Hamburg, who meets the beautful Melek. Daniel decides to drive to Istanbul and surprise Melek after their lone night together. However, Juli, the street vendor that's been interested in Daniel, hitchhikes with him across Europe. The film is really a metaphorical journey for the trials and tribulations that Daniel has to face, and the changes he undergoes during the whole experience.

The cinematography is great, taking full advantage of the scenery and locations of Central and Eastern Europe as Daniel tries to navigate his way to Turkey, via a 4 wheeler, barge boat, or the classic VW van.

The Trip of a Lifetime
Moritz Bleibtreu (of 'Run Lola Run' fame) is Daniel, a young instructor in Germany. His boyish good looks are appealing enough to his female students but his dull class certainly is not, particularly when they are all in the grip of summer break fever. For his part the unimaginative Daniel intends to sit out the summer in his Hamburg apartment. To and from class he often comes by a peddler in the local marketplace, played by the handsome and charming Christiane Paul. Her goal is to spend the summer with Daniel but he easily misses the point. She twists a plot so that he can't avoid her intentions but happenstance spoils its execution and he sets off on a wild goose chase of a Turkish girl who has left for Istanbul and whom he mistakes for his soul-mate. A frustrated Christiane Paul then decides to flee Hamburg, going where the first car willing to stop for her hitch-hikers thumb takes her. That car is driven by none other than Daniel.

Along the trip, filled with narrow escapes, motor vehicle mishaps, and bribeable border guards ("No passport, No Romania"). Daniel greatly increses his guile, tenacity and daring, but can he see the forest for the trees? This film uses inventive techniques, a small host of marvelous characters, all of whom spend just the right amount of time on the screen, and never takes itself too seriously but doesn't cross the line into screw-ball comedy despite its frequent belly laughs. All the while it provides a nice travelog of south/central Europe, a locale rarely witnessed by American filmgoers.

This movie will remind any 30 year old of his greatest adventures, and provide any college freshman with a preview of the challenges and thrills a young life might undertake. This movie stays in the psyche a long time after the first viewing and is bound to make numerous personal top-ten lists after it gains a wider audience.

A perfect date movie for those unafraid of subtitles. Don't miss it. ... Read more

Description

Howard Keel and Jane Powell are rapturous newlyweds who tame his six rowdy bachelor brothers in the wild Oregon backwoods in this Best Score Academy Award(R)-winning song-and-dance-filled comedy. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

One of the Most Energetic Musicals of all Time
1954's "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is rough around the edges and that's just what the doctor ordered. Stanley Donen directed this rough and tumble highly acclaimed musical, set in Oregon in 1850. It was adapted from Stephen Vincent Benét's story "The Sobbin' Women" (based on Plutarch's The Rape of the Sabine Women) and perfectly integrates song, dance, and storytelling. Russ Tamblyn as one of Howard Keel's brothers and Julie Newmar as one of the potential brides are very memorable. Besides Michael Kidd's brilliant choreography (which almost goes without saying) is Cinematographer George Folsey's CinemaScope photography that captured both the grandeur of the land (shot on MGM's back lot!) and the brilliant and bawdy dance numbers. Unfortunately it was shot in Ansco Color and not Technicolor which makes the images less vivid. Yet it does not hinder the film. I saw a recent interview with Jane Powell and she believed that MGM thought they had a real dud on their hands. Boy, were they wrong. Of the DVD versions I prefer the original MGM issue which had a 2.55 to 1 aspect ratio. The Warner Studios version is 2.35 to 1. Both DVD versions remastered the original 4-track magnetic soundtrack to 5.1 Dolby Digital discrete channels. I find this sound remastering very annoying especially to stereophonic films made in the 50s and 60s. The sound on the hi-fi VHS tape is actually truer to the original film.

Singin' & dancin' & sobbin'
A "sleeper" when it was released in 1954, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is still one of the freshest musicals ever made. With a pretty, spirited score by Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer and rambunctious but carefully-controlled choreography by Michael Kidd, this modestly-budgeted movie surprised everyone by becoming an enormous hit, even being nominated for Best Picture. Based on a short story by Stephen Vncent Benet called "Sobbin' Women" (which was the film's working title), it tells the story of a frontier woman Millie (Jane Powell) courted by a backwoodsman Adam (Howard Keel). He takes her off to his rustic home, neglecting to tell her he has six untamed brothers to care for. Undaunted, Millie sets about domesticating the household, complete with readings from classical history, including the story of the Sabine women, which the boys take to heart. The musical was filmed in AnscoColor and CinemaScope, and the wide screen is utilized to great effect, especially in the barn-raising sequence. Letter-box is mandatory. DePaul and Mercer wrote some effective songs ("Wonderful Day", "When You're in Love", "Sobbin' Women") and the numbers blend into the story perfectly under Stanley Donen's smooth direction. Dresden-doll coloratura Powell and strapping baritone Keel make such an attractive couple it's odd M~G~M never co-starred them again. (Evidently a musical version of "Robin Hood" never got past the drawing board.) The brothers include New York City Ballet star Jacques d'Amboise and a non-dancer, the mysterious Jeff Richards, who may have been the handsomest man ever to appear on the screen, Rock Hudson notwithstanding. Among the brides is Julie Newmar, who a couple of seasons later would stupefy Broadway in "Li'l Abner".Bright and pleasantly aggressive, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is right up there with Metro's best musicals.

Fun movie!
The movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is an excellent, fun, family movie with singing, dancing, romance, and even some action. It tells the story of seven brothers who all live together way out in the country. When the eldest brother, Adam, comes home from town one day with a wife, the other six brothers decide they want brides too. They have to battle the townsmen, however, who have already "spoken for the girls." This movie is full of fun and laughs, and I would highly recommend it.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
This is a great film, two wonderful singers. Good story line as well. My kids, my husband and myself all like this one! It is a good family film everyone will enjoy.

I LOVE THIS FILM SO MUCH
I mean who wouldnt love, not like, but love this incredible film. This was the first film that I watched when I was growing up. It is similar to pretty woman but reverse because here are 7 rough western thugs that in need of brides to tame them, after their oldest brother got married. Not only did the film have good actors and actresses that were too funny to ignore, but the music and dancing were just as good. I love it and can you believe all but one brother are still alive today? Wow!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Hot Spot is best known to lecherous film buffs for Jennifer Connelly's topless scene, but this sultry southern noir deserves more than prurient interest. It's arguably Dennis Hopper's best directorial effort (OK, so that's not saying much), and Charles Williams's source novel Hell Hath No Fury finds Hopper in a comfortable B-movie milieu, riffing on Double Indemnity with an overripe tale of sex, greed, and blackmail in an unnamed Texan town. Fresh from the final season of Miami Vice, Don Johnson stars as a shifty drifter, conning his way into a salesman job on a used-car lot, where the boss's insatiable wife (Virginia Madsen) offers him sexual favors and a lovely secretary's (Connelly) innocence is threatened by a percolating scandal. Nobody's really innocent, of course, and Hopper spices this languid web of secrets with enough trashy misbehavior to qualify The Hot Spot as a bona fide guilty pleasure. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (33)

A 'Slice of Americana' Film Brilliantly Directed by Hopper!
If a list of top 100 most unappreciated films was ever composed, this movie would make the top ten easily. Siskel & Ebert raved about this movie, and if you give it a try, you'll see why! Well written, expertly cast and almost flawlessly directed by Dennis Hopper, this movie brings small town America to life like few others in recent memory. A steamy tale indeed, put the kiddies to bed before starting this one. Don Johnson and Virginia Madsen are perfect in their parts, and I defy any male to watch this movie and NOT fall in love with the character (Gloria Harper) played by stunning Jennifer Connelly. I could write a 1000 words alone on how good each actor was in their part, main actors AND "small-part" actors, and perhaps that was the genius of this movie; chemistry among the characters that WORKED! Combine that with a plausible and well written story line, set in a uniquely small town America setting, and just plain solid movie making compliments of director Dennis Hopper, and you have "The Hot Spot", a movie that any movie connoisseur can't watch just once! Excellent!

My favourite film..!
Well, my first review and my favourite film to boot. Having read the book by Charles Williams- a gift from a friend who is big into literature and the classics, therefore I felt it might be good - I thoroughly enjoyed conjouring up the images of dusty hot Texas whilst trying to keep cool with the steamy sultry shenanigans between the two diverse female leads and Harry Madox, the main character. Watching the movie for the first time a year or so later, it struck me how rarely when one reads a book does the film match up to the imagined filmscape. In this instance it exceeded my expectations like no other film had done or has done since. With the wonderful music, evoking the atmoshpere in spades and the masterful performance by Don Johnson - hitherto remebered by most for his role in Miami vice and its lack of real depth - the movie comes alive to me as a romantic representation of what I imagine a small Texan town and its bizarre characters may be like. Jennifer Connely is indeed one of the most beatiful women on screen, a shame that many seem to have just focused on her nudity as a reason to watch (or fast forward) the movie, I guess it must tell you a thing or two about them..

You will either love or hate this movie for many reasons. I make no apologies for liking this and if you want a slick, stylish movie with great music, a hot steamy atmosphere and the opportunity to watch Don Johnson perform in the movie of his career (if only for posterity) then you will do worse than spend a couple of hours watching this.

"I found my level and I'm living it."
Drifter Harry Maddux (Don Johnson) arrives in town and takes a job as a salesman at a used car lot. The boss, Mr. Hawshaw, isn't sure quite what to make of Harry. Harry aggressively tells another salesman: "in this life, you've got to take what you want," but he privately admits that his past is "a series of jams over floozies." Hawshaw has a nubile, seductive young wife, Dolly (Virginia Madsen), who quickly targets Harry as her next prey. Harry lacks the willpower to resist her rather obvious charms, but at the same time, he is also attracted to Gloria (Jennifer Connelly), Hawshaw's young female employee.

"The Hot Spot" --a Neo Noir film--is directed by Dennis Hopper, and it's an excellent entry in the genre--complete with a sleazy blackmailer, crimes, and a wicked femme fatale. I am not a Don Johnson fan, but he did a credible job in this film. He was suitably sweaty and stressed at the appropriate moments. But the film really belonged to Virginia Madsen. She drives a vintage, pink Cadillac, and her tackily decorated mansion resembles a bordello--complete with a stuffed Polar bear. Madsen writhes, coils and slithers her way from scene to scene, and she holds Maddux in a state of horrified fascination--what a performance. There are several scenes with strippers swinging around poles, etc, and one topless scene with Connelly. Obviously not for the kiddies--displacedhuman

The Hot Spot is scorching HOT
I am a big Jennifer Connelly fan so this film is very close it my heart and I recomend it because not only do we get to see Jennifer topless on a beach but the film is pretty good.

Don Johnson does an admiral job in the film and I was impressed with the director Dennis Hopper a very nice film that wasn't expected to do anything when it was released in 1991.

A worthy addition to your DVD collection or the guilty pleasure that is my collection

Oh, Jennifer!!!!
It's true Jennifer's topless scene is very nice for us guys
but,that is not all this movie offers.The acting in this film is
good all way round. (At least in my eyes) Hopper is exellent at
bringing the southern heat to the screen and telling an offbeat
story that's fun to watch and that's what it's all about! I think
this movie is an overlooked gem and i watch it at least once a year!

Oh, Yeah!.... Did i mention Jennifer Connelly??? ... Read more

Reviews (105)

A Fun Halloween or Anytime Movie, One of the Best.
Three aged witch sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) are brought back to life after three hundred years when a teen virgin taking his little sister (Thora Birch) trick-or-treating scoffs at a local legend and lights a black flame while trying to impress a girl.

It is light-hearted and fun but a little scary for a Disney flick as the witch sisters must find children and suck the life from them to regain their own youth.

Good vehicle for Midler and Parker as the bumbling witches wisecrack their way through an action-filled Halloween night. Ten-year-old Thora Birch (American Beauty, Ghost World) is typically witty and very cute.

Some themes are a bit racy for a Disney feature and very young children might find some scenes a bit scary, but these are what help make this movie entertaining for the whole family. It's Halloween fun.

Any witch way you slice it...Hocus Pocus is fun!
I never understood the negative reviews for Hocus Pocus. We went to the theatre anyway and thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Bette Midler is hammy, yes, but it's Bette! She's playing a beaver-toothed, child chasing 17th century witch in a Disney flick. What else is there but hammy?! Kathy Nijimy, with her Dairy Queen hair and lopsided grin, is a hoot. And Sarah Jessica Parker, the curvaceous, third sister, does Sex In the City...Salem-style! (stictly PG of course!) Thora Birch has yet to reach her brooding, raven-haired American Beauty stage, so she's still adorable! And to top it off, there is Zachary Binx, the talking black cat...an obvious inspiration for Sabrina, the Teenage Witch's Salem! My seven-year-old daughter loves this movie! I finally purchased the video today (we had been holding out for a DVD release) to save myself the video rental fees! If you're not a "serious student of film" and can sit and watch and just enjoy a fun movie...rent Hocus Pocus for a test drive...and then buy it!

Glorious For Anyone Who Loves Halloween
If you grew up where I grew up, Halloween was THE biggest event of the year - and all these (45) years later, I still love the sights, smells and spirit of that most magical night.

In Hocus Pocus, you might not find true horror, blood and guts, body parts and roaming zombies (um, wait...), but you do feel the gorgeous allure of the season through the crunchy-leafed scenery, the equisite set design, costuming, innocence of youth and the somewhat corny (if not over-acted) witchy zeal of the wonderful Sanderson sisters. Okay, the plot wouldn't win a Pulitzer Prize, but for sheer fun and enjoyment, let Hocus Pocus transport you to a time and place where witches ruled and moms still impersonated Madonna in cone cupped bustiers. PS: Did I mention I have my own black cat named Zachary Binx?

Disney wrost movie.
This movie shoud be on MST3000.

"This are my three ugly sisters."

"She flying a what?"

"You she her this moring."

It's time to run a-muck!
I, personally, find this movie to be hilarious. The acresses are great and very funny. The whole cast is great. The story is very funny as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The movie that put the Break into Spring, Where the Boys Are inspired thousands of college kids to seek sun, surf, and even s-e-x on the beaches of Florida. A bevy of co-eds (including foxy Yvette Mimieux and delightful Paula Prentiss, in her film debut) make for Fort Lauderdale, finding fun but also quite a bit of heavy-breathing drama. It's a little like a dressier, glossed-up version of the Problems with Today's Youth movies that were filling up the drive-ins of the era. The movie's actually pretty frank for 1960, although these days the lightweight stuff with Prentiss and Jim Hutton holds up best. There's also Connie Francis, who plays one of the college girls and croons the great title tune (which belongs on anybody's mix tape of classic teen-beach music). The film was remade, with vague Orwellian overtones, as Where the Boys Are 84, a truly dismal effort. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A Great Old Time Chick Flick!
I admit that I am a fan of old time movies and this one counts as one of my favorites. It takes me back to my younger years and that bittersweet time of finding the right guy with whom to start a relationship with. Four young girls decide to use Spring Break from college to take advantage of the sun and excitment of Fort Lauderdale. Dolores Hart and Paul Prentiss do a fine job as the Beauty/Brains "responsible" girls while Yvette Mimmiuex plays the fresh stars in her eyes, new to the scene girl. She soon learns the hard way that there are decent guys out there and not so decent. Connie Frances plays a athletic-type girl just looking for someone to ask her on a date and charms everyone with her terrific voice and comedic comments. Catching some sun and having the time of their lives, the girls learn many things about themselves and their new found independence. While this movie is not like the movies of today, it still leaves you with a smile and a sigh. Something all us girls can relate too!
The movie sets remind me of times when my friends and I could not wait to get to the beach to catch a tan and check out the guys! Pat on some tanning oil, grab your favorite swimsuit, and round up your girlfriends for some movie fun in the sun.

Good entertainment
I have to admit I liked this movie. Sure, the premise was great, and it looks great too. But that could be said about a lot of movies, and eventually few of them live up to the expectations. This ain't no masterpiece, but it is very funny, has quite a lot of great location shots, especially the last one on the beach (adding a great title tune with great voice, courtesy of Connie), and great scenes like the one where Connie Francis and girlfriend go to the bar and order hot water because they can't afford anything else and slip tea bagas into them, or when all the cast jumps/falls into the saloon acquarium. I was unsure whether Yvette Mimiuex was raped or not because for 1960 I have rarely seen in movies, but after reading some reviews I was right. And the scene where she zombie-walks into traffic is very good (to look at).
All in all, a good movie.

Where the Boys Are" 1960 version
ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES EVER. EXCELLENT CAST, EXCELLENT STORYLINE, EXCELLENT ACTING, EXCELLENT PICTURE, HONEST!!!!!!!!!

Where the Boys Are
"Where the Boys Are" has many things going for it and at the top of that list would be Paula Prentiss who makes her film debut here. In fact, it was her interview in the DVD extras that so enchanted me that it colored the whole film in an even rosier light. She is fun, ebullient, warm, and has nary a bad word for anyone, but she is also so unpretentious and open that it really provided a lot of insight into what it was really like to work on a film, fresh out of college and ironically at a location which she had missed on her own spring break.

The film tells the story of a group of girls on spring break in Ft. Lauderdale and the romances they encounter there, but as one reviewer here pointed out, it's not exactly "Beach Blanket Bingo." There's the fun 60's comic side of the film similar to "Beach Blanket Bingo" and other "madcap" comedies of that era, but there's also a deeper side with some serious issues raised about "date rape." The film is fairly well cast and pleasant to watch. It also has a real jazz score and Connie Francis performing and singing the title tune. Additionally, it's easy on the eye with great, candy-colorful costumes; beautiful on-location scenery including a panoramic shot of Ft. Lauderdale in full swing; a silly climax in a fish tank with the whole cast practically getting wet; and some unusual names for characters.

All in all, I'd say this one is a keeper and a classic in its own right. It may not be quite an "A" picture, so I didn't give it 4 stars, but it is a really fine film of its kind, mixing breezy, silly, 60's comedy with issues that were going to explode in the coming decade. And the stars are just great. I thoroughly enjoyed all the extras -- not only the wonderful, refreshing Paula Prentiss commentaries, but also a documentary that highlighted both Prentiss and Francis interviews. The film manages to address its heavier issues without having the shift in tone sink the picture in any way, so it's done rather seamlessly.

Again, I highly recommend this film and feel it's probably one of the best of the beach flicks.

The sixties begin.
Suntans, first love, jazz, date rape. And all in one film. "Where the Boys Are" ushered in the 60's, perhaps unwittingly, with its portrayal of half a dozen teens on Spring Break and their new attitudes about sex, life, and sex. Dolores Hart (now a Mother Superior in real life) plays a privileged Midwestern girl with very progressive ideas about interpersonal relations, while Yvette Mimieux's tragic character learns the hard way the lessons of promiscuity, at least according to Hollywood at the time. A very enjoyable film, and a nostalgic final glance back at the fading 1950's, as a new generation was about to make its mark on the social mores of Spring Break and the new world of the 60's. ... Read more

Description

One deputy (Dean Martin) is a drunk, one (Walter Brennan) is a cripple and another (Ricky Nelson) is an eager, tinhorn kid. But Sheriff John Wayne knows he can count on 'em when the bullets fly. A landmark salute to heroism, directed by Howard Hawks. ... Read more

Reviews (70)

What a bunch of characters
Characters make the movie. Boring character can ruin a good story and interersting characters can make a dull movie fly. Rio Bravo enjoys both a good story, and good characters, with a bunch of fine performances thrown in.

John Wayne gives his usual fine western performance as the Sherif Chance, but it is the people around him that make this movie great. Walter Bermnan as Stumpy does a great job, A very young Angie Dickerson is frankly hotter than she ever was yet she also remains a strong character who stands up for herself and plays off Wayne well. Ricky Nelson is believeable as a young man with more sense than any that has come before him. All of them round the movie well.

Dean Martin as Dude however steals the show. In my opinion this is the movie that makes him a serious player. Dude is clearly the most interesting character of the lot, his own battles with Chance, Stumpy, Burdette and most of all himself makes the movie much more than other westerns. It is clearly superior to El Dorado which takes some doing, and superior to Rio Lobo which doesn't.

Other than his early pairings with Maureen O'Hara I would recommend this picture as the best example of John Wayne in a pure western.

Hawks and the Duke come up with their own "High Noon"
Director Howard Hawks made 1959's "Rio Bravo" because he refused to believe the citizens of a Western town would refuse to help their sheriff protect the town as happened in 1952's "High Noon." So when John Wayne's character of Sheriff John T. Chance needs help in Tucson, Arizona to keep the brother of the local bad guy in jail, he is able to whip up support in the form of his former deputy Dude (Dean Martin), just coming off a two-year bender, Stumpy (Walter Brennan), an ornery old cripple, and Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson), a young gunslinger. To add a touch of elegance to the proceedings is Feathers (Angie Dickinson), who knows how to wield a razor and provides the Duke with a little bit of romance. Even though the bad guys capture Dude so they can exchange him for the jailed man, Chance and his comrades are able to save the day, with a little help from some dynamite.

"Rio Bravo" is a significant western in movie history for two reasons. First, this classic film marks the end of the psychological westerns such as "High Noon" and "Shane" which had dominated the 1950s. The point of "Rio Bravo" was to provide entertainment and that it certainly does. Second, it added elements of humor to John Wayne's on-screen persona for the first time. For the rest of his career, most movies with the Duke will find his character having a humorous side (e.g., "McClintlock"). As you can well imagine, there is some singing to be done in "Rio Bravo." Martin does the title tune, sings "My Rifle, My Pony, and Me" with Nelson, who in turn gets to sing Cindy with Brennan. Wayne does not do any singing. In 1967 Hawks and Wayne essentially remade "Rio Bravo" with their film "Eldorado," with Robert Mitchum, Arthur Hunnicutt and James Caan providing the support. While I consider it an enjoyable film, in does suffer in comparison to the original.

Bravo, Rio Bravo
One of the best westerns made at the time. Others have been made more recently that use modern technical skill, but for the time and place, Rio Bravo was the epitome of the western genre and still holds up today. Period!

A Western for everybody.
It seems like I meet a lot of people who don't like John Wayne, and just about as many who don't care for Westerns.

Well, whether you love John Wayne and Westerns, or are lukewarm on both counts, this movie might appeal to you anyway.

A lot of it has to do with Howard Hawks' direction. This classic came from the same guy who gave us "Bringing Up Baby," "The Big Sleep," and "His Girl Friday."

That means quick, witty dialogue, fun characters, and an overall stylishness in the proceedings (the cinematography is alarmingly crisp and colorful).

A cowboy, a crooner and a rockin' teen idol-- these three, Wayne, Dean Martin (in one of his earliest roles after leaving Jerry Lewis), and Ricky Nelson, come together in a way that feels symbolic. To fight off the imminent danger-- and in this film one senses it is hopelessly imminent-- the good guys need to stick close. Dean Martin plays the underdog, a drunk, with just the right touch-- humorous like so many Vegas shows, but with a bit of sadness too. Ricky Nelson looks a little uncomfortable in the saddle, and his lines are a little shaky, but the contrast of his usual persona with this fast-shooting kid makes him fun to watch.

Angie Dickinson is more beautiful than ever in this film and has very good chemistry with John Wayne.

Of course, what really adds the frosting to the cake is the incomparable Walter Brennan, just about the grumpiest old buzzard you'll ever lay eyes on. The spontaneity of Hawks' direction makes him even funnier, and I think Brennan alone moves "Rio Bravo" a notch higher than the successful remake-of-sorts "El Dorado."

I happen to like John Wayne, and a lot of Westerns in general, but I prefer The Duke's persona in this setting rather than those of John Ford. At any rate, it doesn't matter if your favorite film is "The Searchers" or "High Society" (that's mine, actually), "Rio Bravo" is sure to win you over.

Ole Stumpy, The Fellow I Left Behind!
This is, without a doubt, one of John Wayne's best.....the character development just builds and builds throughout the movie until a thrilling climax.
The all-time show stopper in this movie has to be Stumpy (Walter Brennan)...every scene in which he is involved, the scene is essentially stolen from the other players (re-watch and you will see). He is at his best when whining about being stuck in the jail yet always is cowed eventually into doing exactly what Chance (Wayne) wants him to do....except at the end of the movie when he unexpectedly shows up and helps the good guys (hence, the title of this review)!

This is just a fun and feel-good movie pitting good vs. evil and along the way throws in a little humor for relief. This is the first of the trilogy by this director and is the best of the three...but El Dorado is not far behind and Rio Lobo is not anywhere near as bad as it has been depicted. I have all three and when I am needing a John Wayne fix, I can't go wrong with one of these. ... Read more

Reviews (249)

"It's a kind of magic"
This movie is a real gem. I don't really understand why critics were so hard on it, much less do I understand why a few people here are insulting the movie itself (I know the DVD transfer was bad, so I relate to those people) or why the movie was so cheap, then again, the quality of the transfer of this movie would explain it. But this movie is excellent in all aspects. It's unique, and it unfortunately has had its glory destroyed by lousy sequels and TERRIBLE TV shows.

In terms of the acting, contrary to what other people claim here, Christopher Lambert's performance is first rate, and I think it a shame that he has subsequently appeared mostly in bad 1 1/2 star flicks and hasn't since had a real breakthrough in movies. Sean Connery adds real style to the movie with his acting, but it's a shame that he's in there for such a short time. Clancy Brown is as sinister as ever as Kurgan.

The visuals and effects are great by any standard and the swordfighting scenes are excellent

And WHO could possibly diss the rocking musical score by Queen? With such a strong opening theme ("Princes of the Universe") a truly emotional ballad ("Who Wants to Live Forever") and their smash hit single ("A Kind of Magic") just to name a few, you can't go wrong. If you learned about this movie just by being a Queen fan, and first watched the movie out of interest in their score (my situation), you're in for a real treat.

To fans of this movie who were disappointed by the latest transfer, My only suggestion is to wait a while for the Highlander Immortal Edition which will be released April 16, 2002. It promises better sound and picture quality, the uncensored Director's Cut, Commentary, and plenty of Queen material including music videos to their songs from this movie which are musical and visual masterpieces (I've seen them). Plus it's in anamorphic widescreen format, and anamorphic seems like a good way to go especially for a movie like this.

In any case, this movie is a winner and magic in it's strongest form. There can be only one.

There can be only one!
The wait is almost over! The first (and the best, as rated by most) movie in the Highlander saga is about to be released as a 2-disc set with completely new Dolby Digital and DTS audio mix and a much better video transfer. The previous DVD versions of the movie lacked the audio-visual quality, most dvd fans crave for. In fact, in my opinion the movie really deserved a good audio mix, for it is packed with some great music by Queen and I hope the new version contains an isolated music track as well!

The Immortal Edition will be packaged in a limited edition tin box, a feature Anchor Bay Entertainment is known for. With a second disc full of extras, this edition is a release no Highlander fan should miss.

"There can be only one", and it seems this is THE ONE!!

Enthralling Nonsense
That's about the only way to describe "Highlander." It's a B-movie in every sense yet has enough good in it to make it entertaining to watch. I guess that's why it became such a cult classic.

The story centers on a young Scotsman named Connor MacLeod who resides in New York City under a different name. Connor is actually one of the few men on Earth who have the special gift of immortality. These immortals can be killed if beheaded by another immortal and throughout the ages these elect men have been hunting each other down in the hopes of becoming the last immortal on Earth, which would give him a gift of high enlightenment, a gift that can be dangerous if in the wrong hands. Connor is on the run from an immortal goon, the Kurgan, who has been after him since the 1500's. It eventually comes down to Connor and the Kurgan as to who will be the one that receives the special gift.

Something that certainly doesn't work in favor of "Highlander"(and helps make it B-grade) is the fact that the movie has not aged very well. Compared to the action movies of today, this flick looks corny. The special effects are pretty cheesy and the whole production design feels outdated. The acting was, for the most part, not too memorable. Christopher Lambert doesn't do a good enough job of making his character of Connor MacLeod engaging. He makes for rather uninteresting hero. There were only two noteable performances I saw here. One was Sean Connery, who makes a nice little impression playing Ramirez, the man who first tutors Connor when he discovers that he's an immortal. But Connery only gets about 20 minutes of screen time and this hinders him from making a bigger impact. The other standout I saw was Clancy Brown, who plays the Kurgan. Brown makes his character the perfect bad guy giving him the "qualities" of vile, mean, and creepy. In short, he's a guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. I have to say that "Highlander" has quite an interesting concept. The idea of immortals hunting each other down to gain an ultimate power is nifty (if somewhat hokey) and director Russel Mulcahy executes it just well enough to make things entertaining, with the swordfights between the immortals becoming the highlight points.

Overall, I really can't say "Highlander" is a great film but at the same time, I can't dissuade you from seeing it either. Who knows? You, like many others, may have that "kind of magic" that will turn you on to this cult classic. The only way to know is to check it out and see what happens.

High level action and fantasy.
HIGHLANDER was undoubtedly among the best of the medieval/fantasy/Dungeons and Dragons sort of movies that proliferated in the 1980s. The choice of the brooding Christopher Lambert was perfect for the part of the Highlander, Conner MacLeod. There is a quiet intensity to his acting, and it works well here. Sean Connery, as his mentor and fellow-immortal, Ramirez strikes just the right balance of swashbuckling and seriousness. His acting is perfect. (So what else is new?)

For me, however, Clancy Brown's Kurgan steals the film. His physical features and bug-eyed grin are dead perfect! And his way over-the-top performance, at times, makes you a little afraid of his character, but he makes you laugh, as well. The confrontation between Kurgan and Conner in a church is a great balance of wit and tension.

The battles in Scotland, at the beginning of the film, and the mayhem in the streets of New York City at the end are priceless. My favorite moment: Kurgan steals a car and takes Conner's love interest for a ride. As he careens through the potholes and traffic, he quietly sings "New York, New York". Now I know where all our cabdrivers take their lessons from. HIGHLANDER is a great piece of quality mind candy that actually tackles some deep issues.

CLASSIC
This is a classic we should all have it ... Read more

Amazon.com

Two disparate worlds come together in thoroughly unexpected ways in this intriguing film directed by Academy Award winner Bernardo Bertolucci. The opening sequence, in an impoverished, unnamed African dictatorship, is painfully intense: we watch in horror as the movie's heroine, Shandurai (serenely beautiful Thandie Newton), witnesses the brutal arrest of her husband,a rebellious reformer. Then suddenly we are transported to Rome, where Shanduraiis studying medicine and cleaning house for a reclusive, wealthy pianist, Mr. Kinsky (David Thewlis). Knowing nothing of her past, Kinsky falls hopelessly in love with Shandurai. She finds his clumsy courtship insulting, especially in contrast to the heavy load she's borne in her life. But it gradually becomes clear Shandurai has sorely underestimated Mr. Kinsky.

This is a film by a true master of moviemaking craft, who refuses to spell things out or bludgeon the audience with a message. The story builds almost imperceptibly, with an accumulation of details, striking visual imagery, and a haunting soundtrack, in which classical piano, African music, and silence are all used to powerful effect. A tantalizing erotic undercurrent bubbles to the surface as the narrative takes the story in directions both unpredictable and captivating. --Laura Mirsky ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Master director outdoes previous marvels.
I purchased "Besieged" upon strong recommendations of trustworthy friends and my own appreciation of "Stealing Beauty" and "Sheltering Sky". I came to like that relatievly short (93 min.) movie with only two major characters more than the director's past films.
Bertolucci tells an extraordinary story with a compact outline with great skill and makes it believable. He was able to throw in great camera angles and little cinematographic inventions for a totally fresh feeling. That film is most probably among the best of the best representatives of the art of cinema. Great directing, photography, acting and music. A jewel.
Absence of a 5.1 ch. soundtrack is not felt at all, yet this film could benefit from stereo PCM sound since it is loaded with piano playing.

A truly intelligent love story
The title of Bertolucci's Besieged is a subtle reference to both main characters--Thandie Newton's Shandurai and David Thewlis' Mr. Kinsky. The former, an African emigre now living in Rome, is both a medical student and Mr. Kinsky's housekeeper. Her state of "besiegement" is the situation of living in Kinsky's confining environment--confining principally because of the owner's emotional isolation, and simultaneously of her husband having been arrested in her native country; she is besieged by exposure to a foreign culture, by forces previously unknown to her.

Kinsky's besiegement is, as mentioned above, his emotional isolation. He keeps himself inside his house and is rarely seen venturing outside. Only after he professes his passion for his housekeeper and realizes that he must do more than verbalize his feelings does he break the confines of his physical surroundings and leave the barriers he has besieged himself with.

Kinsky, a composer and pianist, is initially seen playing standard Western classical music, but as he becomes more enamored with Shandurai, the rhythms of her African music begin to influence his own compositions. In a beautiful scene, a session at his piano begins with a simple two-note structure and ultimately results in a piece that fervently echoes the hypnotic, percussive feel of the songs she listens to on her cassette player in her downstairs apartment.

Kinsky's intensity throughout, paralleled with Shandurai's combined intelligence and semi-bewilderment are what gives this work its resonance. This is a truly memorable film, one worth seeing repeatedly.

a perfect movie
IMPORTANT!!

Neither AMAZON nor the DVD box tellS you that there is a second COMMENTARY featuring the writer then more with the director and his wife. Both TRACKS 2 and TRACKS 3 are compelling.

Howard in Manchester UK

The Benevolent Master
I could not help but to watch this film with all of my African American female sensibilities. Despite the proficient acting, cinematography and directing, I found the content highly offensive and trite. Mr. Kinksy claimed to love Shanduri and was willing to do anything to possess her affections. He was put off to find out that Shanduri was married, but not deterred. Shanduri gave him what she believed was an unattainable challenge to have her husband, who was arrested for speaking out against the government, freed from an African prison. I recognize that it is possible for a servant to fall in love with her employer, however I know that it is extremely rare. (Ask any black woman who's cleaned a white person's house, 'how much love do you have for your boss.' The relationship between Shanduri and Mr. Kinksy was one of abuse of power and emotional manipulation. During the 'relationship' that I watched develop, not once did Shanduri refer to her employer by his first name. Clearly indicating an uneven balance of power and control...not much different from a slave owner offering to free his children born to his African concubine. So, Mr. Kinksy gave up some of his prized possessions; it was European influence that created the climate that allowed Shanduri's husband to be detained indefinitely. Though I am one among several with a different review about the film, I have no reason to forget the long history of abuse past and present that women of color experienced at the hands of white people, especially white men. To see such a film is an insult and another example of how Europeans do not understand the masses of African Americans.

a lyric tale of two exiles
Music is the center of Thewlis' world and it is the center of the movie. You'll appreciate your sound system during this film because it is made up of music rather than dialogue or stunning visuals. Although Thandie Newton is certainly a stunning visual.This movie stands out because it is so absolutely like no other, not even Bertolucci's previous efforts prepare you for it. Thewlis(you might remember from Naked)plays the decadent westerner(all Bertolucci lead roles are that)we are asked to pay attention to. Thewlis does not demand you pay attention like Brando does rather he is so quiet and mysterious you can't help but pay attention. Only when he plays piano do you find out how much is going on within him. And what music(the piano is the third major presence in this movie). Thewliss and Newton come from different sides of the world and neither is perhaps very satisfied with the place from whence they come, both exiles, and each is very curious about the other. Many times the camera is on one at a time while each wonders about the other in the next room. It doesn't sound like much but it is drama of a very peculiar sort. Two humans,two cultures perhaps, slowly coming into contact. Very strange and very powerful movie. You may as well order the soundtrack too. ... Read more

Description

A mad scientist attempts to drive his captive, Mike Nelson, insane by forcing him to watch B-Movies. This episode's feature is "The Wild World of Batwoman" (1966, 70min.) - Batwoman struggles to help her recover a mad scientist's invention, an atomic bomb hearing aid, before the evil villian, Rat Fink, can use it for his own personal agenda. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Laughing out loud
Ever notice that you don't really laugh out loud when you're alone? Well, while sitting on the couch alone on a Sunday afternoon, this movie made me laugh until I hurt. Give the MST3K folks a movie with no plot and horrible acting and they'll turn it into on of the funniest things you've ever seen.

The (supposed) plot: scientist builds atomic hearing aid - Rat Fink and his agents steal it - Batwoman and her clan of scantily clad Batgirls save the day. Trashy? Yes. Awful? Yes. Entertaining? Absolutely.

Coupled with the "Cheating" short, this is one of the best episodes of MST3K I've seen. The typically unpredictable combination of obscure cultural references and Ye Olde Scatological Humour can cater to all of your comic sensibilities and leave you exhausted and begging for more.

"You're Speaking in Chinese Again!"
This is the original uncut version of 'The Wild, Wild World of Batwoman', as director Jerry Warren wanted it seen. The world was not ready for it when it was made and it still isn't. Most people know this film from Mystery Science Theatre 3000, where it was one of their most diabolical experiments ever. This is the un-MST version, so you are on your own. Good luck.

This is one of my favorite MST episodes because this movie is so unbelievably bad. Rarely has a film been so badly conceptualized, scripted, acted and directed. For lack of viability, I think that the only movie to top this is Warren's own "Frankenstein Island", where Katherine Victor plays Shelia Frankenstein. Here she plays Batwoman. Batwoman and her Batgirls spend the movie fighting crime against a dizzying array of bad guys (including the Mole People) but in the end are able to save the atomic powered hearing aid and, thus, civilization. If this sounds like a mess, that's not the half of it. This movie must be seen to be appreciated.

Five stars for staggering ineptitude on the part of every single person involved with this film. It is a work of grade Z genius!

Terrible - in a good way!
It is a testament to the immense talent of the Mystery Science Theater folk that they managed to turn such a horrible piece of rubbish as "The Wild World of Batwoman," into an uproarious comedy, worthy of being watched over and over and over again.

The plot is simple. I think. If there is a plot. Whatever it was supposed to be, it seems to involve a hearing aid (a "very large and ungainly hearing aid," to quote Crow), a mad scientist, a middle-aged woman in an uncomfortably revealing costume (and her cult of scantily-clad "batgirls"), monsters, cobalt, soup, guns, and dancing. The whole mess is bewilderingly incoherent, and at the film's climax (was there even a climax?) Mike expresses the audience's frustration by begging for an explanation - "What about the hearing aid?! Am I crazy? Wasn't that the PLOT?!" During the final scene of the movie, Tom loses it altogether, screaming "END!! END!!"

The movie is preceeded by a preachy short on the evils of cheating, which leads to some cheating-related friction in the Satellite of Love. Luckily, all is worked out in the end, with the help of Hostess Snowballs.

If only Batwoman had had some Hostess Snowballs, perhaps things would have made sense in her world, too. One can only wonder.

Buy this tape!

"Looks like Casual Day at Control Data"
Zounds -- the sight of our zoftig hero is enough to make even Luke Skywalker go over to the Dark Side. One of the most deliciously bad movies EVER, and Mike and the 'bots give it the full treatment it deserves. Store these images away for future nighmares: The wild scene with everyone swinging on ropes, while the soundtrack reverberates with "Ellie Mae goes to the see-ment pond"; Count how many times the Norm Crosby lookalike says "little doll,"; and finally Batwoman playing the organ (where's Al Lewis when you need him?) in her "hideout" that looks like part of Levittown. Who knew that drugs were such a problem in Hollywood, so early on? Don't try to figure it out - just let the wave roll over you and swim with it.

Where do they FIND this stuff??
This is one of my favorite MST3000 episodes, a true feast for bad-movie fans. It features not one, but two bizarre films to be spoofed. The first, an oh-so-earnest fifties-era industrial black & white short on "cheating," contains some of the worst performances I have seen in a long time. The director tried to make his film look surreal and Bergmannesque, a delusion of grandeur that results in some very funny comments from the MST3K team. The robot interludes, typically the least funny parts of an episode, here play off the short and deliver some great comedic interplay.

The second film and main attraction, "The Wild World of Batwoman," is almost incomprehensibly bad. This is the kind of film that could only have been made in the 1960s. You keep asking yourself, was this intended to be hilariously weird, or was the director simply on a par with, say, Ed Wood? Batwoman herself looks ridiculous, with a lumpy frumpy shock of a haircut, a cheap black mask and a bat tattooed right above her pulchitrudinous cleavage. She bears no resemblance whatsoever to a DC comics character. Her "bat-girls," decked out in bikinis for most of the film, spend most of their time either go-go dancing or obsessively reciting chapter and verse of the arcane bat-regulations.

The director's obsession with food is worthy of a Jan Svankmajer film. In the beginning, the girls force a newbie to drink what is supposed to look like blood, later explaining that it is only a synthetic substitute. Later on, there is a plot about drugged soup that makes people dance compulsively. Some of the scenes are so bizarre (but politically incorrect) that they would have been funny even without the MST3K commments...a seance interrupted by a disembodied voice screaming in ersatz Chinese, or the villains donning disguises that look like something out of Yiddish theater.

One of the characters, who looks something like Martin Mull, sits motionless for about five minutes during an interminably stupid and boring scene. When we later discover his dark secret, which puts him on a par with Robin Williams in "One Hour Photo," the moment is so badly bungled that we can only sigh and go on to the next absurdity.

If you are a MST3K fan, this one is for you. If you are not, give it a try. ... Read more

Reviews (102)

"Helmut? Oh, I got a helmut..."
Easy Rider is a truly landmark film in the true sense of the meaning of the term. Produced on a very low budget and set in the late 60's it was, in my opinion, the first movie to really capture a particularly interesting moment in time. While many films sort of used the notion of the late 60's, drugs, sex, rebellion, idealism, as a means to make money, this seemed really the first film to accurately reflect a realistic image of the time period with an unflinching eye.

Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper play Wyatt, or Captain America, and Billy, two free type spirits who, after a making quite a bit of money through a sale of drugs, decide to hit the road and drive cross country to Mardi Gras. Along the way, they pick up George Hanson, a southern lawyer, played by Jack Nicholson.

While watching this movie, you may get a sense that it is sort of a western, with the western landscapes and the main characters riding 'iron' horses. This was the intention of the filmmakers, especially the director, Dennis Hopper. One of my favorite scenes was at the beginning, right before Wyatt and Billy are about to embark on their trip, Wyatt removes his watch and throws it on the ground. This symbolized a sense of throwing off the constraints of the old world and an effort to embrace true freedom, if there is such a thing.

Nicholson tends to steal the scenes he is in, and gives a particularly wonderful piece about what freedom is, and why people are so afraid of it. He sort of represented to me one who has been fed many misconceptions about the individuals and movement Wyatt and Billy represent, but once in their company, finds that much of what he has been told may not be true. A sort of individual caught between the generations.

The film is dated, but that didn't detract anything for me. The only scene I really didn't care for was when Wyatt, Billy, Mary (Toni Basil), and Karen (Karen Black) drop acid in a Louisiana cemetery and proceed to trip for an extended period of time.

Along with wonderful performances, much credit must go to the cinematographer, as the landscapes are beautiful, especially the wide shots of the western scenery. They are truly breathtaking. And the music used was exceptionally good, fitting each scene and helping to create the proper mood throughout the film.

The movie presented here looks excellent, in anamorphic wide screen, and includes a commentary by Dennis Hopper. Also included is a wonderful 'Making of' featurette called Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage which really helps to illustrate all that went into making this film. The production, at time, often reflected the turbulent times of when the film was made, and helps to give more flavor to the movie, really enhancing the overall effect. All in all, Easy Rider is a wonderful slice of outsider Hollywood that captured the true essence of an exceptionally turbulent time in America.

Wholly overrated
"Easy Rider" (1969)

"A classic...a great film for its day...everyone is sure to love it", those were the comments I had been hearing about Easy Rider before I rented it. I expected this movie to be great because it was called a counterculture classic and topped many people's lists of the best film of the 1960's. In my opinion, Easy Rider is a case of don't believe everything you read.

Sure, the movie has its good points. The music is fantastic. The songs are all very memorable and suit the road theme, styles of the film and the time in which it is set very well. Many of the songs of the movie have become classics since the films release. Easy Rider is also shot gorgeously, with heaps of great sunset shots and motorcycle journeys.

The performances in the movie are also very good. Jack Nicholson is the stand out as the innocent comic relief Dennis Hopper a