Description

Four Academy Awards(R)! Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Sam Shepard and a stellar cast give soaring life to the glory years of America's space program. From Tom Wolfe's best seller. Year: 1983 Director: Philip Kaufman Starring: Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid ... Read more

Reviews (107)

A CLASSIC
It's great to finally see The Right Stuff appear on DVD as a special-edition. The sound and image quality is awesome, much better than the LD.

This is one of the greatest achievements in film, depicting the birth of the space program. It's difficult to think of anything wrong with the production.

The cast (many of whom at the time were not A-list caliber) is top notch, especially Ed Harris as John Glenn and Sam Shepard as Chuck Yeager.

The beginning, which chronicles the breaking of the sound barrier, is excellent. One particular scene has Yeager staring down the X-1 while on horseback; almost as if two living ceatures are involved in duel. The Oscar-winning score by Bill Conti brings tears to my eyes every time, especially the breaking the sound barrier and the final coda, which ends at Gordo Cooper's historic orbit.

Director Philip Kaufman (just look at his resume; what an incredible career, with Henry and June, Unbearable Lightness of Being and Quills among his films), brings a humanness and respect to his characters, and dots the script with bit of humor and tenderness as well. He depicts the Mercury astronauts as heroes, an aspect that unfortuantely has gone away. These men (and their wives) pushed the envelope to it's capacity, went to the top of the pyramid.

We live in a time in which we no longer look up when a plane passes overhead, where, instead of real people risking their lives to further technology and science, our heroes are born out of comic books or the sports pages.

The Right Stuff is truely a very special film! They don't make 'em like this anymore!

New Stuff
The Right Stuff is Phillip Kauffman's sprawling three-hour epic about the Mercury Space Program. Based on Tom Wolfe's amazing book, the movie is a visual stunner with a top-notch ensemble cast. Sam Sheperd stands out as Chuck Yeager, the first man to break the sound barrier. He portrays Yeager as a cowboy who flies jets instead of riding horses. Mr. Sheperd gives a cool and impressive performance. Ed Harris first sprang to attention with his performance of John Glenn. He gives a gentle and passionate performance and the scenes with his wife (who was hearing-impaired) are touching. Fred Ward gives a blustery and gruff performance as Gus Grissom who appears to be on the verge of cracking after his space launch goes awry. Scott Glenn adds a touch of humor to film as Alan Sheppard the first American in space. Dennis Quaid is brash and cocky as Gordo Cooper. This 20th Anniversary two disc special edition is an immediate upgrade over the original dvd, which was one of the first films to be released in that format. The film is perfectly suited for the dvd landscape and while the picture quality was excellent on the original release, the digital transfer adds depth and scope to the film. The real bonus is the 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound. The film won four Academy Awards and two were for Best Sound and Best Sound Effects and the remastered audio increases the powerful and majestic tones of the film in home viewings. The extras are great for any space program aficionados as there are interviews with the real life astronauts from the film.

well done
Hollywood has mostly ignored one of the most dramatic events of the modern age, the space program. It's been willing to lavish millions on sci-fi and fantasy but has been meager in detailing the real drama. Tom Wolfe's marvelous book has been captured in this film with the same blend of irony, whimsy, humor and real drama.
The astronauts were accidental heroes, men who never expected to be elevated to such a public Olympus. They were never what the PR machine promoted but they got the job done and eventually earned the heroic status they were automatically granted by the propaganda machine of the time.
An interesting film that genuinely manages to distill out the essence of the 'right stuff.'

The Greatest American Epic
The fact that "The Right Stuff" lost the Oscar for best picture to "Terms Of Endearment" is beyond me; this movie should have won. The fact that it wasn't a hit at the box office back in 1983 is also beyond me. We are talking about what I think it's the best American epic in all the sense of the word.
It's strange that a Venezuelan-born like me should talk about a movie like this, but I feel that "The Right Stuff" should have been a classic -well, it is for me. The story of the "Mercury" astronauts is portrayed marvelously by Philip Kaufman's direction, showcased beautifully by Caleb Deschanel's stylish photography, and supported by an incredible cast including Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Barbara Hershey, Sam Shepard, Pamela Reed, Kim Stanley, and Veronica Cartwright.
In fact, I remember when I was watching that movie at home, and my late father asked me if a man that appeared on the screen was astronaut John Glenn because he looked just like him. Of course I told him he was an actor who was playing his role. That said, it's incredible to see how Ed Harris is perfectly cast as Glenn.
And I don't want to forget one of the reasons why I love this movie, and that's Bill Conti's spectacular music score. Of course it may sound a little like Holst's "The Planets", but I usually weep every time I listen to the main theme.
I'm glad that a special edition DVD of "The Right Stuff" has been released, with fantastic extras that include new interviews with the cast and crew, deleted scenes, and an incredible documentary on John Glenn. I'm also glad about it because I think that this movie should be rightfully appreciated not only because it deals with historical events like the breaking of the sound barrier and the first American astronauts, but also because, as I said before, this is a classic.

FABULOUS
"The Right Stuff", based on Tom Wolfe's book and directed by Phillip Kaufman, was a wonderful American story about the Mercury space program that told the tale of U.S. pilots just brimming with gusto, bravado and...the right stuff.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM ... Read more

Description

Winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor, Sir Laurence Olivier's Hamlet continues to be the most compelling version of Shakespeare's beloved tragedy. Olivier is at his most inspired-both as director and as the melancholy Dane himself-as he breathes new life into the words of one of the world's greatest dramatists. Criterion is proud to present Hamlet in a luminous black-and-white digital transfer. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Great Dane
Sir Laurence Olivier's 1948 version of Hamlet sets the standard for film version of the play about the Danish prince. Much as he did with Henry V, Sir Laurence exercises some significant plot points and characters from Shakespeare's play, but it is done to concentrate the focus of the film on the brooding prince. Make no mistake about it, this is Sir Laurence's film all the way. He brings an amazing breadth to character who disintegrates from a happy and sensitive man into a tormented and lost soul. There are some other great performances including Eileen Herlie who plays the Queen and is Sir Laurence's mother in the film despite being thirteen years his junior, a young Jean Simmons is luminous as Ophelia and Basil Sydney is effective as the villainous Claudius. Horror film notables Peter Cushing and the now ubiquitous Christopher Lee also appear as does Stanley Holloway. The film was a major success and it helped earn Sir Laurence his only competitive Oscars in 1948 as Best Actor and as producer on the Best Picture award in addition to two others for Best Art Direction (B&W) and Best Costume Design (B&W). He is also the only Best Actor Oscar winner to direct himself to the award.

OLIVIER MASTERFUL IN HAUTING ADAPTATION
There are several film versions of Shakespeare's great play about the troubled Prince of Denmark; Mel Gibson's imbues the drama with a barely restrained mania while Kenneth Branagh's is notable as the most nearly complete version yet made. Still, it is Olivier's production which remains the standard, and justifiably so. His is the performance which I believe most nearly matches the Bard's own vision of how the tormented Hamlet should be played--sensitive, caustic and impassioned yet tortured and lost. Olivier's direction leads the viewer inexorably into the heart of the play, whose characters move through the nearly inescapable walls of Castle Elsinore like sleepwalkers through a lucid dream. But Olivier couldn't do it all himself, and doesn't need to. Felix Aylmer is a likeable wise old fool as Polonius; Eileen Herlie is an appropriately confused queen and mother; Basil Sydney is well-cast as the villain who would rather not be; and Jean Simmons shines as Hamlet's innocent love, whose disintegration is so realistic it breaks the watcher's heart. More, the individual scenes are beautifully orchestrated. Oliver's rendition of the "To be or not to be" soliloquoy is pure magic, and the story's climactic duel is worth the wait, as Hamlet and Laertes (Ophelia's brother, well assayed by Terence Morgan)duel to the death--one unwittingly, and both to the death of more than each other. True, the production is incomplete, and the lack of Rosencranz and Guildenstern is a regrettable omission. But overall, Olivier's film captures the essence of Shakespeare's play like no other. As long as Hamlet is studied in schools, this will be the version most often used to show how the play should be done. A worthwhile addition to even the most discerning video library.

Another good Lawrence Olivier adaptation of Shakespeare
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

In this release Olivier's second adaptation of a Shakespeare play, Olivier again plays the title role. Unlike the previous film, this one is in black and white,

It follows the story of a Danish prince bent on avenging the murder of his father by his uncle.
I would assume that most people know the plot so that is all I will say about it,

The DVD has no special features which is not normal for a Criterion release.

Olivier is fantastic!
A film by Laurence Olivier

The word "masterpiece" is thrown around far too often these days, but for years I have heard that this version of "Hamlet" is Olivier's masterpiece. Recently I had the opportunity to see this masterpiece and for the first time I saw Olivier at work. I was impressed with what I saw. To the modern ear, Shakespearean language can sound awkward and archaic, but with Olivier, much of the dialogue sounded like easy conversation.

I once heard "Hamlet" described as the most structurally perfect play, that every action stems directly from something else in the play and that every action happened in that particular way because it had to, that there was no other way for the actions to work out. I am not enough of a Shakespeare scholar to be able to really speak to this, but I do know that when done well, "Hamlet" is a fascinating play, and a fascinating film. Olivier succeeded at doing this play well.

The story is one that is well known. Hamlet (Laurence Olivier) is a prince of Denmark. His father had died a month prior, and Queen Gertrude (Eileen Herlie) married the dead king's brother, Claudius (Basil Sydney). Hamlet has been brooding, unable to accept either his father's death or his mother's rather quick remarriage. This continues until Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, who tells him that he was murdered, and that the murderer is now sitting on the throne of Denmark. As a character said early in the film, "something is rotten in the state of Denmark." Hamlet must avenge his father, but in such a way that he can get away with it. As he begins to plot, he pretends to be mad (crazy), so that his excesses can be excused away. So begins the story.

This is an impressive movie, from the acting to the set design. The castle has a dark, gloomy atmosphere and it feels (and looks) real rather than looking hokey (the movie is more than 50 years old, after all). I was most impressed with Olivier, and rather less so with Jean Simmons, as Ophelia. The character (and her motivations) just didn't feel real to me this time. Excellent movie and highly recommended for classic film buffs.

"Dead for a ducket! Dead!!!"
With those words spoken with a maniacal glare, Lawrence Olivier had my complete attention. He is both director and the lead in this classic version of the celebrated play. The direction is smart, reminiscent at times of visual techniques used in "Citizen Kane." Praise, indeed! However, his acting performance is frustrating. He speaks softly, letting the poetry of the language speak for itself, then has a brilliant moment or exceptional scene, only to blaze sensationalistic at the wrong times. One such instance was just after Hamlet slays Polonius. Olivier cries out at the top of his voice, "Is it the King?!" Hamlet states early in the play that he is only playing at madness. Why is he then drawing so much attention to his bloody actions when we all know he just left the King praying on a lower level? He knows it couldn't be the King. Once again, his direction is amazing, but there are some excellent examples of why actors should not direct themselves. Seriously, who's going to tell them their performance needs work? Another scene that had me scratching my head was after the "players" first arrive. Why does Olivier pull the lead player aside, telling him that he has lines for him to memorize, only to have the "play-within-a-play" enacted without any words at all? He should have cut that earlier scene, or let the players have their lines.

The meeting with Hamlet's ghost is incredibly creepy here, with trick camera work, an eerie score, great special effects, and a thudding heart-beat announcing the ghost's arrival. This is my favorite version of this particular scene.

Jean Simmons looks very pretty here, and she does have her moments, but there are better portrayals of Ophelia in other renditions of the play. Both Helena Bonham Carter, in the Mel Gibson version, and Kate Winslet, in the Kenneth Branagh version, are superior. Jean Simmons is good, but not great.

Horatio is wooden for the most part. When will actors learn that one doesn't stop acting simply because it is not their turn to speak. Gestures and expressions, people! Lawrence Olivier uses subtlety in ever scene at ever moment, that is why so many consider him a great actor.

Once again, the character of Laertes is portrayed with only a little passion. Catch the Kenneth Branagh version to see a vengeful Laertes on the verge of exploding with blood-lust!

Overall, I was disappointed with the supporting cast. They have their moments, but none of them can match Olivier's performance. To quote a critical review I read, "Olivier is triumphant!" As both director and actor, his work here, for the most part, shines. Thank you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As superfluous remakes go, Flight of the Phoenix could've been better, and could've been worse. It's a passable popcorn adventure, especially for those unfamiliar with the 1965 original, which starred James Stewart, made headlines for the crash-landing death of stunt-pilot Paul Mantz, and now stands as a minor classic of its era. This flashy remake stars Dennis Quaid in Stewart's role, adds a woman to the list of plane-crash survivors, and showcases Giovanni Ribisi, who gives a cleverly eccentric performance as the model-airplane designer who proposes to rebuild a crashed cargo plane into a single-engine escape from certain death in the remote Gobi desert. Both films are essentially identical, but this remake is somehow less believable (due to shortcuts in a haphazardly written screenplay) and much more spectacular, owing to the advantage of impressive special effects. Otherwise it's a routine dose of survivalist entertainment from the director of Behind Enemy Lines, never convincing enough to be genuinely compelling, but certainly never boring. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Okay, Okay, Okay. Okay. We'll build it.
Disappointment is just one of the emotions felt after viewing this cinematic failure.Frustration, aggravation, and anger could also be used, but mainly it was disappointment.One of the most important rules of making a film is to incorporate believable characters into an unbelievable situation.Flight of the Phoenix proves that you can place unbelievable characters in an unbelievable situation, and the end result will be ... well ... unbelievable (not in a good way).From the very blurry beginning, until the incredibly cheesy ending, this film gives us a taste of Hollywood proving that sometimes creativity, originality, and strong storytelling falls to the wayside to allow for more of Hollywood's leading men the ability to prance around shirtless.From the non-existent acting, to the scattered story, and finally followed by a very predictable and unrealistic ending, The Flight of the Phoenix never really took off to begin with.This was one of those films that tried to stuff as much in as possible without any thought to the five basic questions (who, what, where, when, and why) and thinking of the female drive in replace of a decent story.

To tell a good story, you must have a strong leader to guide you through the rough spots.Since Flight of the Phoenix was nothing but rough spots, I was looking forward to having the best leader who would draw my attention away from these distractions.Sadly, there was no leader, thus it forced me to focus on the gaping plot holes and meaningless dribble that happened throughout this film.Dennis Quaid was not the best choice for this picture.To make this film work, you needed to have someone strong, brainy, and a bit egotistical.You needed a leader, not one that would just sit around waiting for a rescue team to arrive.His nonchalant acting (bordering apathetic) never quite meshed well with the other actors.This didn't make him the central focus of the film, but instead turned our focus on Giovanni Ribisi's character.Sadly, nothing was given to us about Ribisi's character throughout the film, so we were forced to see an unknown character acting a bit eccentric.To me it didn't make much sense and lead to the very uneventful climax.With Quaid doing his least and Ribisi going a bit overboard, I would normally look towards the other characters to provide at least one line of enjoyment ... again ... normally ... but not in this case.Instead, what you found was the most diverse cast that I have ever seen, all of which are vying for more screen time.So, each push forward, nothing gets accomplish, the audience looses faith in the characters.Then, you have Miranda Otto.I only section her out because I had no honest clue what her role was in this film other than to provide a female interpretation on what was happening.You can't have all these men in the desert without some woman ... someone is going to be angry, and it will be up to Hollywood to show the diversity.It was pathetic and it felt forced to me.

I will give some credit that there was some creativity involved, but it was the overall development and final direction which lost all of the creativity that Flight of the Phoenix may have had going for it.Plane goes down in the desert and a group of people must rebuild before they die of dehydration.Interesting concept, but just not done well.There was too much sitting around and waiting for the first half of the film, where there could have been some decent character development or studies, instead we have these huge long-shots of the desert which is to show the vast nature of their surroundings.This was a great technique to use, but sadly director John Moore created the opposite effect than what he was going for.I understand that he was trying to show the vast landscape and how there was really no way for our ... is heroes to easy of a word? ... to escape the desert.He wanted the feel of the film to be this huge desert, but instead I felt trapped.I felt trapped in a characterless world where the scenery seemed like it should all have "Made in Hollywood" stamped on the back.I just could not grasp the horror that this team was feeling, and while some of that may be the actor's fault, I do feel that Moore had something to do with it as well.His ethics behind the camera, I do believe, hurt the final product of this film.

Finally, I cannot complain about this enough, but for me to fall in step with characters, I need to know their names, their weaknesses, and something about their lives.My biggest issue with the film Black Hawk Down and Tears of the Sun was that I didn't know any of the soldiers really well, so when they started dying I didn't know who they were, nor did I care.This is similar to what I felt when I watched this film.I knew only two-three of the characters really well, while the others were extremely expendable.When this happens, and something tragic happens to them, it will not evoke any emotion from you.Most of the time you shrug it off and wait for the next nameless victim.It is sad, but I can add Flight of the Phoenix to the ever-growing list of films that decided to use this technique.

Working around films so much I have seen so many patrons rent this film and come back with such glowing remarks.While most loved this film, I cannot agree with them because without decent characters, a stronger story, and a defined reason as to why Miranda Otto was involved with this project, then I cannot say this was a valued film in my book.

Grade: * out of *****

Barely worth a rental
After 30 minutes into Flight of the Phoenix, I asked myself, "Self, when does the action start?" Upon falling asleep and waking up later into the movie, I asked myself that again...and again.The trailer is incredibly misleading in that it makes this movie look somewhat...well...exciting.It's incredibly sleep-inducing and terribly written.One question: Why is Dennis Quaid trudging through the scorching desert with a winter bomber jacket and full flight regalia? Another question: why remake the original and make it worse? Don't waste your time.

Not Bad
The acting in this film was pretty good, and so were the special effects. I also thought the story was very good, and the ending was sweet.
That said, this good film is somewhat dirtied by a bad screenwriter. The lines were completely dumb, and the characters had to say them seriously.
You probably will like this movie anyway, but it could have been great with a better screenplay.

Good Plot , Exaggerated ,Uninspiring Performances
This movie is an absolute disaster. I haven't seen the original but let me tell you no director could possibly put together any worse set of actors for a film. In a land where they're doomed to be roasted to death, they show optimism. They build a plane ,dance aroud to radios that appear from nowhere. There are many loopholes to this plot. It didnt seem that the moderate sized plane that crashed in the desert could carry as much as load as they somehow bought out of it.

If you're an intense movie watcher like most are or if you're looking for a good lost nowhere movie please don't buy this. It's good that I borroweda friend's copy of the dvd. Somehow my friend hasn't seen it.I suggest he put it up for auction somewhere. In any case,this movie's a complete disappointment with very incompetent acting and action.

Poor casting, slow, and predictable
Given its premise, it sounds like this should have been a really good movie.Unfortunately, that's not the way it plays out.

First, the casting is poor.As the pilot and main character, Dennis Quaid's all-American, average guy persona just doesn't work.Giovanni Ribisi comes close to over-the-top acting, and the other characters - especially those played by Hugh Laurie and Tyrese - are completely one-dimensional stock characters whose actions can be easily predicted.

There's very little in the way of action, with most of the time spent on trite dialogue or needless shots of the desert and the plane.When events start to unfold, their outcome can be guessed well in advance.And while I don't have a problem with being able to guess the movie's ultimate outcome, a little bit of suspense would have helped.

Finally, the "updates" on the characters that are shown during the credits may be the corniest thing I've seen in a movie this year.We really could have done without that touch.

I'd recommend avoiding this one, even if you're looking for a light and mindless film.It just doesn't work on any level, and it was a real disappointment. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

There is which character is David Niven?
This is one of those cute films that are safe for kids. It has the Disney signature all over it.
Casey Brown (Jodie Foster) is recruited and in cahoots with a con man and his wife. The wife used to work for the family of a castle and can teach Casey how to fool her way in as a long lost relative. Once inside she is to find the alleged treasure of a pirate captain. In the process of searching she is forced to cooperate with the family which is trying to scrape up enough money to save the castle. She appears to be softening up. Where will her loyalties lie? Is there really treasure or is it just a story? And why is the butler never seen with the gardener?

Excellent family fun
David Niven gives it his all as a butler trying to protect his Mistress played superbly by Helen Hayes from the harsh realities of the present. He takes on various guises of people long dead so that Hayes can pretend her life in the crumbling English mansion Candleshoe has not changed in forty years. A youthful Jodie Foster is a street-wise young con artist who agrees to impersonate Hayes long-lost granddaughter in order to make a fast buck. What follows is a barrel of laughs as Jodie, an assortment of orphan children, Niven, Hayes and a band of hilariously inept baddies, one of whom is the fabulous Leo McKern, find themselves on the hunt for a lost English treasure. A treasure that Niven wants to find so that his Mistress will not have to leave Candleshoe which is about to fall into the hands of debtors. Slowly Jodie finds herself at odds with the task she has been paid to do, and she changes sides, helping Niven and the children save Candleshoe for the old woman she has grown to love. Disney has created a cast of colorful characters that have you laughing and crying in the same breath and Jodie Foster is brilliant as the cynical young American girl who just might be the real heir to Candleshoe. Delightful, and wonderfully harmless fun. Well worth buying just for the innocent it exudes from every single frame.

Candleshoe
An interesting mystery where a couple hires a young woman to poise as the missing hierest to a estate fortune to get the money for them. Only she come to care for the family who thinks she's a member of and decide to do the right thing and get the treasure to save the estate from going under. A heart warming disney classic with comic hi-jinx.

a GEM
I first saw the film twelve years ago as a child and since then 40 times. I love it. It's a perfect family film without any violance and with pretty good actors.
I must admit, that Jodie Foster now is not one of my favorite actresses but in this film (and in the Freaky Friday of course) she is perfect for the role as well certainly Helen Hayes, David Niven and Leo McKern.

Interesting plot, humour, no blood, sensational actors: do you need more?!

One of My All-Time Disney Favorites...
... and trust me, I am not a Disney groupie.

From a 1970's kids'-eye view, this movie has it all:

• Sassy and savvy lead character Casey Brown (Jodie Foster) is the kind of brash, street-smart survivor every kid imagines he would be if left to his own devices.
• The majority of the action takes place on a huge English estate, in a decrepit castle. Secrets abound!
• There is the thrilling hope of finding a pirate treasure.
• Clues to the treasure are revealed and solved one by one, allowing the viewer to actually feel a part of the search.
• David Niven is delightfully funny, playing four different characters, and leaving the viewer wondering just who he will become next.
• Although tame by today's standards, there is tension, and suspense... Can Priory (Niven) change clothes fast enough to continue his charade? Will the con-men be successful? Can Candleshoe survive its financial woes? Is Casey really Lady St. Edmund's (Helen Hayes) long-lost granddaughter? Will there be betrayal?
• The finale features a hilariously satisfying kids-triumph-against-bad-guy-adults melee.

It may not be the '70s anymore, and I am certainly no longer a kid, but I still love this movie. Given the chance, I think kids of today will love it as well. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

one of my favorite movies of all time
The Wraith is awsome!

the movie is about a kid named Jamie Henkins who gets killed by a car gang led by Packard. the rest of the gang includes Oggie, who drives my favorite car, Minty, Clint Howard (forgot his character's name) and my two favorites, Skank and Gutterboy.

a new kid suddenly shows up to town named Jake, who is really Jamie in his new form and comes back to take back his love, Keri Johnson.
from here, the action begins. the car the wraith drives, from what i heard, is a Dodge Turbo Interceptor, custom, and awsome! the best car in the movie.
after racing Oggie and Minty and getting his revenge on them, he then runs head on into their warehouse where they kill the lively duo of Skank and the Gutterboy. these two are hilarous and if for not the cars, then these 2 hooligans will keep you watching this film over and over.

Packard, after denying that Jamie, the wraith has come back for him, Packard is confronted by the wraith in a cemetary where Pack sees his own grave! in one last brilliant race, the Wraith and the Turbo race Pack and his corvette. the ending is brilliant. head on crash, ball of fire, just flat out awsome. this movie is awsome!

movie stars Charlie Sheen, Randy Quaid, Clint Howard, and Sherilyn Fenn. great movie.

Great 80's Hero/Revenge Story with a tough of love
I was 16 or 17 when I saw this movie and I loved it. If you are looking for a deep, serious, modern, adult, tear-jerking drama, you don't want this. Having said that, this is an otherwise very cool movie! It is one of my favorite movies of the 80's (top 20) and an early masterpiece for Charlie Sheen. Hero ghost comes back and gets revenge, scores points with the girl, and sets up his bro with a hot supernatural car... sounds a little cheesey? Hey, it's a 1986 action movie about a ghost coming back for revenge! But, for it's time it is EXCELLENT! I recommend it. The car is incredible and yes, I want one. To this day (I'm 32 now) I look for photos of it on the web. The Dodge Turbo Interceptor. Anyway, the movie is a good action/revenge movie with a hint of comedy and an awesome soundtrack. "Where's the Fire" by Tim Feehan is fantastic and ahead of it's time!

Soundtrack, where are you?
I've read through the entire customer reviews and no one seems to have any clue as to where to get the movie soundtrack to this perfect 80's movie. My one favorite song in the movie is "Hold On, Blue Eyes" by LaMarca. But I can't get any info on this group. I don't know if the name "LaMarca" is a band or a solo artist. It's very difficult to get the soundtrack, and I don't see why. So what if it's an old 80's movie. Look at Grease. That movie came out like in the late 70's or something. Ugh! And not to mention Saturday Night Fever, which came out like when Jesus was sipping wine and breaking bread with his disciples. Both the soundtracks are still around, never hard to find, and still selling like flies. Can I get a witness? Grease may be more of a popular movie than The Wraith, but still....I'm still an ANGRY customer. IF THERE'S ANY DIE HARD 'WRAITH' FAN WHO KNOWS WHERE AND HOW I CAN GET THE SOUNDTRACK, EMAIL ME: vahnatfranco@hotmail.com.....apps~

p.s...and to amazon.com staff, this may sound silly, but I'm desperate. If you can assist me at all in finding this movie's soundtrack, please inform me.

This desperate reviewer remains thankful and hopes for a positive response....apps~

Love the movie. Want the soundtrack
I love this movie soo much. Had a major crush on Charlie Sheen because of this movie. But where could I find the movie soundtrack to this fantastic 80's movie? It's an old movie, I know. But inquiring minds want to know where to get this movie's soundtrack.

help

apps~

"The Wraith" Review
The ultimate cheesy 80's car race picture has Charlie Sheen as the new kid in town who ends up having problems with a drag-racing gang led by Nick Cassavettes in all of his overacting glory. The gang, who has been terrorizing the local motorists, end up having to deal with another visitor, a supernatural vigilante with a futuristic super car. Throw in Randy Quaid as the angry town sheriff and Clint Howard as the gang's braniac cheerleader and you have good idea of what you're in store for with this underrated B-movie gem. The soundtrack which features music from Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Palmer, and others is the film's bread-n-butter. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jonathan Harr's nonfiction bestseller was a shot in the arm for those seeking more than last-minute heroics akin to a John Grisham thriller. Here was a labyrinthine case involving industrial pollution by two highly regarded corporations,contaminated drinking water, and the deaths of innocent children in New England, circa 1981. The case has hundreds of twists and takes our hero--a steady, respectable lawyer named Jan Schlichtmann--and turns his life into personal disaster. Instead of celebrating the law, the story is a maddening and rewarding look at the elusiveness of the courtroom case.

Steven Zaillian, who won an Oscar for adapting Schindler's List and directed Searching for Bobby Fischer, boils Harr's 502-page book into a complete, satisfactory film experience. Book readers will no doubt jeer the streamlining Zaillian had to perform to make the movie flow. Most changes can be quickly defused with the exception of the film's portrait of Schlichtmann. The lawyer has been turned into a movie star, an ultra-slick, cold-hearted gentleman who finds his purpose in working the case. Casting a stalwart John Travolta again diverges from the book, which right from the opening pages showed us a Schlichtmann with feet of clay. As Schlichtmann's partners (including William H. Macy and Tony Shalhoub) descend into the case, the unbridled sense of power and money is abandoned. This case is ultimately about survival.

Zaillian provides an excellent narrative for the sordid facts of personal injury suits, in which money is the only reward for lost or broken lives (deftly introduced in the film's opening scene). Zaillian also stays away from dwelling on the illness of the children involved, focusing on the gaunt faces of the parents who survive (Kathleen Quinlan, James Gandolfini) in controlled anguish. His evil characters--an industrial plant's owner (Dan Hedaya) and a corporate lawyer (another fine acting spin by director Sydney Pollack)--are so human it's terrifying. Zaillian's final ace in the hole is Oscar-nominee Robert Duvall. Perfectly cast as Travolta's opposition, Jerome Facher, Duvall steals scenes with the abbreviated dialogue; he turns a fancy settlement meeting into a farce with one line. Facher is not a callous, love-to-hate-him lawyer like James Mason in The Verdict. Facher represents the law at its brilliant foundation: to best represent one's client. With a taped-together briefcase and dry humor, Facher, not Schlichtmann, is the character who captures us by the film's end. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Riveting and Powerful Cinema - An Eye-Opener for All
This is the most incredible movie ever made about trying a wrongful death case and the accompanying emotional roller coaster the process generates for attorneys. The opening scene will plant you firmly in your chair as Jan Schlichtmann (played by John Travolta) explains the financial calculus behind accepting and declining potential clients with personal injury claims. Jerome Facher (played by Robert Duvall) is infuriating with his unending legal maneuverings designed to extract his corporate client from an untenable legal position permeated with liability. The traitorous conduct of Schlichtmann's partners will make you wretch with disgust as they scramble to save themselves at the expense of righting a terrible wrong evidenced by a dozen dead children. Engrossing, to say the least.

Yes, the movie isn't perfect. Travolta's portrayal of Jan Schlichtmann doesn't completely mesh with the character in the book, there isn't a practicing attorney alive who doesn't know Rule 11 (court-imposed sanctions for unethical conduct), and the legal proceedings aren't quite right. Who cares? If the director had included the day-to-day minutiae involved in getting a case to trial, the film would have been three years long! My fellow reviewers are unreasonable in their unrelenting critiques.

If you're involved in the legal profession, this film will make you step back and reassess your brand of client representation. Are you taking the right cases? Are you serving the needs of you clients - or yourself? Are you willing to give your all to the law? Interesting, and always stimulating, food for thought.

If you're a lay person, hold on - you're in for the ride of your life.

Well-adapted story with terrific acting
After recently reading Jonathan Harr's book A Civil Action, I eagerly awaited seeing the movie version of this sad and absorbing story. The film version condenses the story and leaves out several interesting portions of the book, but is fine nevertheless. John Travolta is a perfect choice to play Jan Schlichtmann, the egotistical, free-spending attorney who dives headfirst into a damages case against the corporate giants Beatrice and W.R. Grace, who are accused of poisoning the drinking water of Woburn, Massachusetts and causing a leukemia outbreak. William H. Macy, Tony Shalhoub, and Zeljko Ivanek co-star as Schlichtmann's partners in the firm, and one only wishes that they would have protested his actions, which led to the financial ruin of him and his firm.

Robert Duvall gives another terrific performance as Jerome Facher, Beatrice's attorney, who is the complete opposite of Schlichtmann. In a scene at a fancy hotel conference room, the frugal Facher is not impressed by any of the lawyers or their arguments, but the free pen that he can take home. It's a subtly funny scene that illustrates Facher perfectly. John Lithgow does a terrific job as Judge Walter Skinner, who Schlichtmann believes is siding with the enemy.

A Civil Action is a story where the winners and losers are unclear, and it must have been difficult for writer-director Steven Zaillian to condense Harr's technical-laden novel. The result is a solid drama with powerhouse acting. Highly recommended.

Intelligent and Compelling Courtroom Drama
Jan Schlichtmann (Travolta) is a Boston tort lawyer and something of an ambulance chaser who is initially reluctant to take on an industrial pollution case involving some children dead of leukaemia in rural New England. He changes his mind when he realizes the likely defendants are a couple of big companies with particularly deep pockets and smells the possibility of serious money. Over time, however his interest in the case becomes a moral obsession. The cynical becomes a crusader, refusing offers to settle as his company's finances spiral downwards towards bankruptcy.

If you like courtroom dramas, this is highly recommended. It's one of the best specimens of the genre to come out of America since 'The Verdict'. It's interesting to compare it to 'Erin Brockovich' released a couple of years later. EB is about how a heroic small timer takes on the big boys of corporate America and how her pluck and determination triumphs over all obstacles, something of a legal feelgood movie in other words. Which this, to its great credit, is not. Its central character, for starters, is far more amibivalently likeable: initially just out for a fast buck, moral seriousness has to creep up on him and take him by surprise (perhaps reminding writer/director Zaillian of Oskar Schindler whose story he scripted for Spielberg a few years earlier) and the story's development paints a significantly more ambivalent picture of what pluck and determination can accomplish. It's a highpoint of Travolta's acting career even if he is comprehensively upstaged by Robert Duvall, on brilliant form as his quietly cynical adversary, bigshot lawyer Jerome Facher who knows far better than to look for the truth in a courtroom...

The book is SO MUCH BETTER
The movie is fine... but the book is an amazing read. There is so much detail and nuance lost in the adaption to a visual medium.

A Civil Travolta
This is a really good film that didn't get near the attention it should have. A great story, a terrific premise and plot. And Travolta nails his performance as a man faced with the dilemna of doing the "right thing" at great personal expense, or walking away with what he has left. This is a morality play of sorts and Travolta is the conscience of us all. We're thrilled when he triumphs; we breathe a sigh of relief and unclench our fists. Yet, we probably wouldn't have blamed him if he had walked. A nice film. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

I ADORE this movie
There isn't anything in this that was earth shattering or incredible performances. It was just a good Sunday Afternoon flick, I own this one and forgot how much I enjoyed it until my Daughter and I pulled it off the shelf.

Julia Roberts does a believable job as a woman who has found out that her husband has screwed around on her. What I liked most about this movie was allll of the secondary characters... Kyra was the PERFECT Older sister looking out for her younger one, Gena was Great as the Southern Belle Mama, the Aunt (don't know this woman's name)was HILARIOUS as the "little" crazy Aunt that would/could go there. You really have to pay attention to this movie there are so many innuendos and funny moments that I truly can recommend this one. The actress that played the daughter was wonderful and last but not least Dennis Quaid did quite a convincing job as a contrite husband (once he was caught).

If you want something along this plot line I would also suggest "Hope Floats" which also stars Gena Rowlands and has pretty much the same subject matter but not the same movie. Enjoy.

Respectfully Reviewed

One of the 10-12 I watch repeatedly. . .
As a 30-something chick, I have a few romantic comedies and dramas that I have watched so many times I can repeat them line for line. I put them on, if for nothing else, for the background noise. This movie is one of them. The title of the movie says it all; Julia Roberts (Grace) gives the entire town something to talk about when she finds out about her husband's cheating ways. The movie is funny and poignant at the same time, making the viewer re-visit some decisions they made in their lives that got them where they are today. Kyra Sedgwick is absolutely fabulous (much better than in "Singles") and Gena Rowlands is wonderful, as well. Pair that with a great subplot about horse competitions and coming to grip with aging, you've got a great movie that was completely underrated by most critics.

Something to Talk About
Although Quaid AND Roberts deliver good performances... this movie just plods along and is never clear. We never have a CLEAR reason for her to return to her husband.

Her relationship with her father is unclear---why is she so angry? And if he makes her so crazy, then why work with him then? Some cute moments, sure... the food poisoning, the doctor and the father fighting... but otherwise... yawn Could have been a contender... but it's not

An enjoyable and entertaining film
Curl up and enjoy this movie. It is funny, sad, interesting and most of all enjoyable. I disagree with the person who said that the husband and wife spontaneously dance and then live happily ever after. Did we watch the same movie? The wife (Julia Roberts) then goes back to school and her husband begins courting her. Dating, not back to move in and live happily ever after.

Something to talk about -
I Love the movie, it's good clean fun, probably not so much for the men as for us females. I have watched this time and time again plus do-not have to worry if my daughter wanders in and out as anything she should not be hearing would go over her head anyway. Kind of reminds me of a totaly modern, "Harper valley PTA" I have an old taped version that i borrowed from a friend years ago, so now i have just brought another copy so she can hers back. A must ***** ... Read more

Description

Christopher Walken (SUICIDE KINGS, THE PROPHECY) and Vincent Spano (THE TIE THAT BINDS) star in THE ASCENT, the third thrilling installment of the action-packed PROPHECY trilogy! As fearsome armies of rebel angels continue to wage war in heaven and on earth, Pyriel, the brutal Angel of Genocide, rises to power with the evil intent to destroy all of humankind! The only one on earth with the ability to stop the bloodshed is Danyael, who was born of an angel and a woman. But he is unaware of his true purpose ... until, during a harrowing journey of discovery, Danyael meets Gabriel (Walken), the fallen angel who has acted as his secret guardian! Brace yourself for an epic battle of the ages as Danyael sets out to confront Pyriel in a bid to save the world and fulfill his ultimate destiny! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Prophecy Closes Full Circle
Unlike most films which carry the number 3 in it, The Prophecy III proves to be the most energetic and satisfying film in the trilogy. I can't say enough good things about it. The story while drawing from the previous films still brings the story to a close with it's own ideas and new directions for old characters. The best thing about Prophecy III is that it never does what you'd expect. Christopher Walken returns to the story once again as Gabriel the former angel of death now humble wandering human. The filmmakers have taken great care in recreating Gabriel while still having him be familiar too us. Still speaking in that menacing tone of his and piercing us with those eyes that see more than what is there. The movie somewhat mirrors T2. The villain is now the protector. Which I loved. The story revolves around The half angel half human neraphim of Prophecy II who is plagued by visions and compelled to stop the angel of genocide Pyriel. Enter Zophael, an assasin angel sent to Earth to destroy the neraphim Danyael. As before there are protectors. In this case it is the coroner from the previous two films who is tired of examining bodies with no eyes, the girlfriend who is taken hostage by Zophael as Gabriel had taken human slaves in the previous films, and finally Gabriel himself who does not have the lead role in this movie but shows up to deliver very compelling dialogue and give great foreshadowing for things to come. The story is in full drive for the whole movie. A surprising cameo in the end and a somewhat recreation of a scene from The Prophecy will have you rolling if you are a fan of the films. If the movie suffers from anything it is that all three films are well..the same. An angel chasing after a human to further the war in heaven. Human slaves are always taken by the angel in order to defeat the human who is always helped by another human. But despite that, Prophecy III has the same darkness of the original and a striking and subtle music score. This is not a film for first time Prophecy viewers. Go through the first two and if you like them then The Prophecy III will have you believing in The Word and that not all sequels to sequels bite.

Yup :-)
I'm speaking of the 3 movies I've seen in this series of movies, Christopher Walken is one of the best actors I have seen and this roll is his apex in my mind, totally funny + he gets weirder as the movies go along, the writers know what they are doing + christopher playes it perfectly + adds his amazing performance in a perfect roll for him. Top Rate!

Movie great, DVD lousy
I like the movie, I hate the DVD. I have never seen a DVD where, upon insertion, you are forced to watch four full-length previews. Menu is disabled, fast-forward is disabled, even the Stop button is disabled! I hope this is not the way of the future!

The Halfway Coffee shop scene most entertaining..
The only thing that seemed to hold this release together was the diner scene Gabriel re-enters, having crossed paths with Madge, the waitress again, who recalls him and asks "Where's your friend?" (from the first Prophecy). It was interesting that Gabriel "gets his wings back" at the end, but the humor was seriously lacking, save Gabriel explaining to Vince Spano how he "dies everyday...when I have the cash" and how he finally learned how to drive. The coroner investigating was [terrible]. It would have been nice to see someone like Thomas(Elias Koteas?) taking this on instead. I don't recall if that sign over the coroner's coolers was still there, stating "These are for storing bodies, NOT beer". That subtle sarcasm in the first was nowhere to be found in this one. It makes me wonder if someone else wrote the script.

The Best of the Set!!!
I liked this one best out of all three. Christopher Walken as Gabriel was at his best. I liked Gabriel in the other two, I loved him here. The premise behind the story was a bit cliche, but its delivery was incredible! The action scenes were also much better, "borrowing from "The Matrix," but then again, who doesn't these days." They were much more what one might expect from angels.

While delivering on the action and gore started in the first two movies, this one leaves you actually thinking. This is what sets this movie apart from all the others of its genre.

Some people have commented that the questions left at the end might indicate a sequel.

The questions this movie leaves you with can't be answered by a sequel. They're answered in this movie, but you half to look for them. (That may be a problem for some.) If being left thinking bothers you, don't watch this movie. For the rest of you, this movie delivers on the questions raised in the other movies about Angels, The Word, and God in general. This movie was the perfect conclusion to the trilogy.

"Get used to it!" ... Read more

Reviews (19)

They didnt Take Orders... They Took Over....
A movie with the hottest leading man and a great story line about the history of New York and the rest of the US. Richard Grieco, Christian Slater, Patrick Dempsey and Costas Manylor are great as the infamous gangster who went down in the history of the US.
This movie captures a true story of the rise of organized crime in America in the 1920's.
The movie follows four daring men and their rise from rags to riches story. Charming Lucy Luciano, the head strong Meyer Lansky, the ruthless, blood thrisy Busgy Siegel and the diplomatic Frank Costello, organized the all the activities in the America.

Well...it could have been better...
I saw this on cable for the other night, and was kind of frustrated by this movie. It was ok, as mob movies go, but the difference between this and a movie like "Goodfellas" is like little league vs Major League baseball.

I saw the potential for a very good or even a great movie, if it had been handled better. This movie was based off of the factual creation of American Cosa Nostra as we know and love it. The formation of the Five Families. The creation of the Commission. The rise to power of Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel. If handled right, this could have been another Godfather.

But it wasn't. Miscasting, for one. And I mostly mean Christian Slater. He could not pull off the role, struggle as he might. Christian, could you have at least tried to do a Sicilian accent? Just a hint of one? No? Ok, how about convincing emotions? A bit of character? No?

When I started watching the movie, I was prepared for pain at the portrayal of Meyer Lansky by that kid who was in all of those late 80's-early 90's screwy romantic comedies. But I was actually pleasantly surprised. The kid was actually trying, and it showed. Christian--take notes!

Anyway, I'm watching this movie, as I said, and watching a good movie try to emerge from a mediocre one, and I was struck by two magic words that could have made this a movie to remember, especially considering the source material.

Those two words? Martin Scorsese.

'nuff said? The Martin Scorsese treatment + better casting = a movie for the ages.

Well, hopefully someday Hollywood will do this real-life mob story *right*. Until then, watch "Mobsters" with low expectations and you should be able to deal with it.

Absolute garbage.
O.K. who's brainstorm was this? They need two behind the ear. How can you take the phenomenal, real life story of Charlie Luciano's rise to power during the Castellamarese war, and turn it into "Mobsters"?!! This had the potential to be a fantastic picture, up until they hired the casting director. Instead it was turned into 21 Jump Street during prohibition. Luciano, Maranzano, Costello, Lansky etc. are doing cartwheels in their grave everytime anyone puts this in their DVD player. Trust me, "Mobsters" is an offer you can definately refuse.

you've got to be kidding me
Sorry but this may be the worst mob film ever. As far as I'm concerned the actors did not give the film credibility. Patrick Dempsey as Meyer Lansky? Christian Slater as Lucky Luciano? Richard Greico as Bugsy Siegal? Come on. What a joke!

Too bad i couldnt give it 0 stars
This is the worst movie ever made. Who would ever buy that Christian Slater could be Charlie Luciano??? After he was attacked b Maranzano's people he didnt even have the droopy eye. Jesus. Masseria, they couldn't even say his name right. And MARANZANO (they couldnt even SPELL his name right!) was a nazi, not an italian. Who would buy that nazi that played maranzano as an italian mob boss. Anyone who likes this movie should be shot. and dont even get me started on richard greico. Who invited 21 jump street to this party? if you want a better painted picture of what these guys were like, with ALOT better casting, then get "Lansky" with Richard Dreyfuss. Mobsters is a joke. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Comedic reaction to Howard's action; Fred steals the show
In Private Parts, you get to see Howard Stern's meteoric rise from his humble beginnings to his reign as the King of All Media. You also get to see him meet and recruit his allies in broadcasting- Robin Quivers, Jackie Martling, and...

...Fred Norris, the King of Mars. The "King of Mars" moniker was given to him by Howard for his rather strange & unusual behavior and demeanor. Fred reprises his earlier self & behavior beautifully in Private Parts, which at times would come very close to upstaging Howard's own on-air antics. Fred's performance in some ways reminded me of Christopher LLoyd's portrayal of "Reverend Jim" from the Taxi TV sitcom, a character I found both scary and funny at the same time. Fred has been known to be both as well... even to this day.

Other great moments in the movie were peoples' reactions to what Howard would say on the air. Be it someone listening to the show in his car, the radio management suits at the station, or even Howard's wife Alison, whenever Howard says or plays something that's sure to cause a reaction, it does... with riotous results. It makes those funny moments even funnier.

Enjoy!

The often hilarious autobiography of the King of All Media!
I have been a Howard Stern fan for years now, watching his show as often as I can. I have also wanted to know the story behind him and his colleagues' rise to power. This movie showed plenty of it, but not all of it. It basically summarizes his childhood and early years and shows us some of his influences to become a radio personality. Most of the movie is a flashback panning his lifetime as he moves from small town disc-jockey to well-known local personality to huge radio star. He meets many of his sidekicks and good friends throughout the movie, such as Robin Quivers, Fred Norris, and Jackie Martling. Unfortunately, the flashback cuts off in the mid-80's and doesn't touch at the next ten years of his career. Either way, the movie was able to make us feel sorry and compassionate for who much of society calls the Antichrist. It has its funny moments and some sad moments, but in the end it's a decent comedy. Private Parts has some gross-out humor and a fair-share of nudity. I would definitely not like this movie as much if I weren't a Stern fan, but I am, so I love it.

Score: 7.5/10

Propaganda movie
This is Howard's propaganda movie. Much like Michael Moore, he'd have the world believe he is just an ordinary, average guy who has been wrongfully shamed by the majority of Americans. The most accurate part of this film is the beginning when it shows what a lame pencil-neck geek Howard really is. Here we are, 7 years later and , just like Mike Moore, the truth has come out and Howard is a farce. He is no longer married. He has a model for a girlfriend, and is no longer the "everyman" that this film proclaims him to be. Also, nowadays he accuses the President to be trying to get him off the radio. Funny coming from him. Here's a guy who, as soon as Opie and Anthony started making fun of him when his wife left him, went to his company and put a stop to it by taking them off the air. He says himself on the radio that he runs the company. O and A worked for Infinity- his company. Maybe Howard is right, maybe people are out to get him. After all, it would take one to know one.

Where's the Special Edition???
I think that this film is a comedy classic, with a solid cast (Mary MacCormick, Paul Giamatti, Alison Janney, and a "blink and you'll miss her" Edie Falco), a funny storyline, and is a comedy classic, although it borders on "chick flick" at times, believe it or not. But I think that a lot of people can identify with the social misfit who does well for himself, and overcomes a lot of odds to do what he wants to do and manages to succeed on many levels. The film really showcases Giamatti as Howard's program director (dictator) and it's worth watching him and Howard go back and forth.

But I do hope that they do a special edition on this film, there's a lot of behind the scenes stories that should be told (like doing the radio show and THEN doing the film later that day), as well as hearing MacCormick, Linney and Giamatti talk about their time working on the film, and Howard's own comments about the making of the film. As well as including some of the clips filmed for TV. It's long overdue, Paramount!!!

Something tells me I should have avoided this movie
I actually saw this movie at the theatres when it came out with my best friend Dennis and another friend Dan. All I can say was that this movie did absolutely nothing for me but put me to sleep. This man is pathetic and his radio shows are becoming more and more old and boring. Fast forward to 2004, he is not relevant anymore, in other words, is a has been and is complaining that his brand of raunch radio is being blacklisted by our President which is not true, the real truth is Howard gets old real fast! If you want good laughs that are timeless, I suggest you watch the classic 1979 Chuck Jones animated film The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie instead for laughs. ... Read more

Amazon.com

AKA has been favorably compared to The Talented Mr. Ripley, and for good reason. A fascinating drama about a young, working-class man's fraudulent claim to aristocracy and subsequent rise among the rich and privileged, AKA has a touch of the thriller about it. Matthew Leitch plays 18-year-old Dean, a handsome, beleaguered fellow abused in every conceivable way by a monstrous father and thwarted in his desire for higher education and a lucrative career. Sheltered and polished by a high-society arts matron, Lady Gryffon (Diana Quick), Dean eventually lands on his feet in Paris, gaining entrance to elite circles by pretending to be Lady Gryffon's son and getting caught between the desire of two men. The smart script by writer-director Duncan Roy plays on the paradox of an ambiguous hero whose attractiveness to the rich and jaded is his emotional authenticity and natural frankness. Leitch's performance is mesmerizing, both cryptic and eerily honest. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Description

Kevin Costner plays the most famous lawman ever to stride the Wild West.In a gritty, complex portrayal hailed as a "classic American performance" (Bob Campbell, Newhouse Newspapers), Academy Award winner Costner (Dances with Wolves, The Bodyguard) plays the man who became a myth in acclaimed director Lawrence Kasdan's (The Big Chill, Silverado) epic, action-filled saga.Gene Hackman, an Oscar winner for Unforgiven, as Wyatt's iron-willed father, and Dennis Quaid (The Big Easy, The Right Stuff) as Earp's deadly best friend Doc Holliday add power to this mammoth, hard-hitting Western.From Wichita to Dodge City to the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, Wyatt Earp is a thrilling journey of romance, adventure and desperate, heroic action. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Wyatt Earp was a Man
A lot of people forget that Wyatt Earp was a real man who had more courage and integrity then most people you will ever know. This movie is a pretty accurate portrayl of that man. Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid (Doc Holliday) do a superb job, although the supporting cast has a lot to be desired. This movie differs from the movie "Tombstone", in that it portrays a lot of Wyatt's life from being a teenager during the Civil War to his and Josie's adventure to the Alaskan gold fields near the turn of the century. "Tombstone" deals primarily with the happenings in Wyatt's life in that one town, which ironically dealt with less than 2 years of his long adventurous life. I liked this film because it dealt with an approximate 35 year time span of Wyatt's life, and the movie is long enough to dipict this. There are a lot of historical accuracies in the movie which include proper representations of places and dialogue such as what is said on the way to and during the gunfight. The inaccuracies are easily overlooked such as Virgil being shot in the wrong arm and the reference to "Johnny behind the duece" as "Tommy." All in all though, a good film about the life of a great man, Wyatt Earp.

BUY THIS DVD!
At last Warner Bros. has seen fit to release Kasdan's masterpiece on DVD. Sadly and inexplicably this movie was overlooked at the time of it's release. This superbly written,beautifully played piece is the definitive account of the life of a western archetype achieving everything that previous Earp accounts have failed to with the possible exception of Hour Of The Gun. Avoiding the ludicrous romanticism of My Darling Clementine, or the appaulingly laughable Lancaster/Douglas fiasco, Gunfight At OK Corral, Kasdan's portrayal presents these characters as the contradictory individuals they undoubtedly were and the actors and actresses do a tremendous job of bringing them to life. Costner is utterly believable as a complex man who, influenced by his father's belief in the family unit, almost destroys the very family he is trying to protect. We see him go from an idealistic young man to becoming a resolute, serious individual as a result of circumstances often beyond his control which serve to form his hardened personality and tunnel vision. Dennis Quaid is superb as Doc Holliday and presents a real person rather than Val Kilmer's amusing charicature in the over rated t.v movie-quality Tombstone. JoBeth Williams, Catherine O'Hara and Isabella Rosselini are great in their portrayals of the role of women in the west. Each of the actresses in this movie portrays a distinctly different character never resorting to cookie-cutter characterisations but the one thing they all have in common is, true to the period, women were expected to be supportive but not to have minds of their own; No revisionist western this.
Technically the movie looks and sounds great. Kasdan creates a visual style without being heavy handed and we are presented with a west in various stages of development from shanty towns to the developing, lawless Dodge City and Tombstone where law and order are trying to take hold even when the "law" is being enforced in a very subjective manner, again there is a lot of gray in this movie.
Finally I have to praise James Newton Howard for his wonderful score which, if it were isolated on the DVD would make this a 6 star release.
Apparently deleted scenes are being included on a second disc. An expanded lazer disc was released some years ago which restored this footage to the film, adding even more depth to the characters and as a result an even better movie.
Please buy this movie and, in doing so, encourage Warner's to release the expanded version in the near future. You will not be disappointed.

Western Classic
No doubt this movie is a western classic. I saw it years ago and loved it. I don't have anything negative to say about the movie itself. I almost picked up this 2 disc set until I learned it's a cut down or edited version. Why is the complete 212 min version only available on VHS ? That's just stupid. This is a great movie worthy of a director's cut edition maybe 3 disc set? I'd spend the extra cash on a deeper edition, until then I'll save my money. Please, please release the FULL version on DVD!

I'm very disappointed-why not the Director's Cut on DVD??
I was actually planning to but Wyatt Earp on DVD, but as I already have the Director's Cut on VHS video, I'll wait until the release of it on DVD. I believed this would be the "definitive" video release of Wyatt Earp. I'm quite disappointed!! I would rather have had the complete film on DVD than all of the extras!! Five-stars for the film, one-star for the short-sightedness of this DVD's content!! This is just as puzzling as why the restored version of John Wayne's The Alamo is not on DVD yet, either.

Typical Costner - long drawn out epic!
While the story was great and gave some interesting, perhaps unknown insight to the character of Wyatt Earp (did you know he was married and lost his wife to Typhoid? I didn't!) the movie was a very long, slow, drawn out epic like most of Costner's films. While Dennis Quaid portrayed a believable Doc Holliday, his performance was paled by the superior, more entertaining version by Val Kilmer in "Tombstone". In either movie it was almost unbelievable that the character was played by Dennis Quaid and Val Kilmer respectively (although Val Kilmer was more recognizable), I think both versions of Doc Holliday outshined the portrayal of Wyatt Earp in either movie. While still a good Western for this century, I would not rate this one higher than 3 stars because it was too long and drawn out. 3+ hours is just too long to sit through for something that could have been accomplished successfully in maybe 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
The rating age only goes up to 12, I'm actually 40 years old - LOL ... Read more

Description

Noble Adams, a legendary tracker, is coaxed out of retirement to hunt down crazed killer Red Jack Stilwell and his gang. Now it's kill or be killed in a West so wild you can never turn your back on a stranger. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Formulaic HBO entry
Plot, drama, suspense, character development -- this western has them all, to reasonable measure. It seems awfully like other HBO movies I have seen. If you like westerns, this may be a candidate for an evening's entertainment. If you like exceptional westerns, try "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", "A Big Hand for the Little Lady", "El Mariachi", "Stagecoach" or the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns.

The Tracker
I bought this dvd on a whim... It is a great western and now one of my classics in my own personal collection.

Hard Hitting
Noble Adams (Kris Kristofferson) is a retired tracker. He runs a ranch and has a wife. He wants nothing to do with his former life. An old friend is calling in a favor and Noble must return to the hunt one last time. Noble's son Tom (Mark Moses) has just graduated from college and has come to tell Noble that he will be living in the east and practicing law. When he finds his dad is going on a track, he headstrongly joins the chase. They will be tracking Red Jack Stilwell (Scott Wilson), a self professed Morman Avenging Angel that just broke out of prison and has been on a violent rampage. He is travelling with a kidnapped women and child.

Noble doesn't really want his son along. He doesn't think the boy can handle the brutality of the land and is worried about the brutality that his son may see in him. Noble Adams is not just any tracker, he's the best tracker ever. The law's avenger, the army refers to him as Nemisis (The God of Vengeance). Even the indians fear him. So Noble, the aging sheriff and Tom Adams, the eastern college boy set out to hunt down the ruthless Red Jack Stillwell and his gang.

Far from a typical father son bonding movie, Tom sees Noble as a cruel, harsh and exceptionally unforgiving man. But he comes to understand that the land has made him that way. Tom turns out to be just as hard but not quite as cold blooded as his father. Hard men in a hard land, doing a hard job.

This unhearalded HBO production stands up as one of the great westerns of all time. More people need to see this movie. It is a classic with no shortage of action or suspense. Although filmed a number of years ago, HBO would do well to provide us with a sequel of equal caliber.

Watch it and enjoy.

The Tracker
One of the 10 best westerns ever made. If you like Burt Lancaster's "Lawman," Henry Fonda's "Tin Star" and "Warlock," you love this movie. The attention to detail, from the script to the way they make coffee, is right on the button. Kristofferson's best performance. ... Read more

Description

Boston proper meets the Wild West as Roddy McDowall, Suzanne Pleshette, and Karl Malden star in a fish-out-of-water comedy for everyone! To restore his family's lost wealth, a young Boston lad stows away on a ship bound for the California Gold Rush. When their very proper butler gives chase, all roads lead to nonstop adventure, wild and woolly characters, and a lucky punch that leads to a bonanza of belly laughs! You'll discover a fortune of family fun in this classic Disney film -- perfect for your collection. ...