Description

On moratorium since the end of March, Fritz Lang's serial killer thriller starring Peter Lorre returns to DVD in a fully restored, special edition double-disc set. A simple, haunting musical phrase whistled off-screen tells us that a young girl will be killed. "Who is the murderer?" pleads a nearby placard as serial killer Hans Beckert (Lorre) closes in on little Elsie Beckmann... In his harrowing masterwork, Lang merged trenchant social commentary with chilling suspense, creating a panorama of private madness and public hysteria that to this day remains the blueprint for the psychological thriller. The Criterion Collection is proud to present a new restoration of this landmark film in an all-new two-disc set, also including audio commentary by two German film scholars; an interview film Conversation with Fritz Lang, directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection); a short film inspired by M by director Claude Chabrol (La Ceremonie, Les Biches); classroom tapes of M's editor discussing the film and its history; and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Did Alfred Hitchcock have a mentor?
If he did it could have been Fritz Lang & his seminal talkie, M, made in 1931 & released in 1933. A deranged child murderer is loose in the city (played broadly & wonderfully by "newcomer," Peter Lorre).
The movie has scenes pitting citizen v. citizen, in accusations & counter accusations, near lynchings & mob hysteria. The police seem helpless & bereft of clues. Organized crimes seeks to find the murderer also. He's bad for business.
Crowd mentality is examined. It is a theme Lang returns to in later movies. His first American movie, Fury , (1936) deals with vigilantism & mob rule. This version, a poor print by the way, has English subtitles so your forced to pay attention. It was Lang's favorite film. It is a prototype, if you will, of the murder mystery genre. Kind of a precursor to Hitchcock's thrillers of the 40's & 50's.

dark; influencial; a classic
This early serial killer movie from Fritz Lang has influenced practically every other serial killer film ever made. Peter Lorre is the bug-eyed, pathetic and vaguely sympathetic child-murderer (the 'vampire of Dusseldorf') being captured and put on trial by the rough inhabitants of the town. Although this very early talkie is far slower paced then the equivalent films of today, it is intelligent and, in its day, seminal.

The transfer to DVD is excellent considering the film's age, definitely superior to the crackly version I used to own on VHS.

This serial killer film is artistic and influencial, although I preferred Fritz Lang's earlier classic sci-fi Metropolis.

Murderous Molester Meets Mob Mentality...
While watching this story unfold, I found myself on quite a rollercoaster ride of emotion. First, I hated Beckert (Peter Lorre's character) for luring innocent little girls to their hideous deaths. Beckert is scary due to his ordinariness, his gentle face and small stature. He's the opposite of what we tend to expect (even today) a child molester / killer to look like. I really wanted this guy caught! I cheered for the cops to nail this maniac at all cost. Then, I wanted the underworld types to nab him and dole out their version of justice (regardless of their selfish, criminal motives). The scenes of the crooks surrounding / hunting Beckert in a deserted office building are paranoic and intensely claustrophobic. I could feel the terror in Beckert's head. No longer the predator, he was now the prey. Once caught, he is taken to a deserted brewery and put on "trial" by the crime bosses. Beckert must plead for his life before a mob that's not all that interested in his side of the story. He delivers one of the most desperate pleas for mercy in movie history to an audience concerned only with his destruction. Just as the mob leaps at him to tear him apart, the cops arrive, becoming Beckert's (temporary) salvation. In the end, we are left with the words of one of the victims' mother. She sadly states that while Beckert may die for his crimes, this will not bring her baby back to her. Such is the great paradox of justice. Fritz Lang gives us quite a lot to think about in this legendary tale. Buy it and see what I mean...

Film as Allegory
"M", Fritz Lang's ingenious story of the hunt for a child molester, is a remarkable snapshot of civilized German society at the moment predating its collapse. The child murderer Beckert (who would later be used in Nazi propaganda films as a prototype of Jewish/sexual deviance) is presented as an enemy of motherhood and the people, and therefore all of Germany. The authorities are hapless in their investigation, causing a gathering of vigilante forces - crooks, killers, pimps, and prostitutes - who capture Beckert, and try to bring him to justic before being stopped by police. Lang's working of cinematography provokes a sense of outrage at police attempts to enforce law: there are prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges in the underground kangaroo court of the criminals, but no jury -the audience is intended to be. With lawlessness everywhere, 1931 Berlin crowds cheered approvingly of the near assasination of Beckert by the underground. The austere judges of the actual law who sentence Beckert (likely to an asylum from which he will eventually be released) are shown as overlords on high, unresponsive to the three mothers of murdered children who weep and warn, "We must all take better care of our children." Whether Lang intended it or not, taking better care of the children seemed a system entirely unlike the Weimar Republic - what would eventually become Nazism. Lang was no Facist, but this is one of the classic films heralding is birth.

an excellent film, poor print. wait until late 2004 to buy
This review is for the Criterion Collection (1st edition) of the film.

This movie is Fritz Lang's first "talkie" and an excellent film about a serial child murderer. The police are so obsessed with catching him and are everywhere. This prevents the other criminals like pickpocketers and burgalrs from doing their criminal activity so they team up and enlist the help of beggars and the "underworld" to find and apprehend the murderer.

This Criterion DVD, now temoraraily out of print, has bad picture quality but still is a good film.

Later this year the DVD will be rereleased with far better picture quality and special features which this version does not have. This edition has no special features of any kind. I will put up a new review when the new version is released. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the key movies of the 1970s, when exciting, groundbreaking, personal films were still being made in Hollywood, Milos Forman's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest emphasized the humanistic story at the heart of Ken Kesey's more hallucinogenic novel.Jack Nicholson was born to play the part of Randle Patrick McMurphy, the rebellious inmate of a psychiatric hospital who fights back against the authorities' cold attitudes of institutional superiority, as personified by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).It's the classic antiestablishment tale of one man asserting his individuality in the face of a repressive, conformist system--and it works on every level. Forman populates his film with memorably eccentric faces, and gets such freshly detailed and spontaneous work from his ensemble that the picture sometimes feels like a documentary.Unlike a lot of films pitched at the "youth culture" of the 1970s, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest really hasn't dated a bit, because the qualities of human nature that Forman captures--playfulness, courage, inspiration, pride, stubbornness--are universal and timeless.The film swept the Academy Awards for 1976, winning in all the major categories (picture, director, actor, actress, screenplay) for the first time since Frank Capra's It Happened One Night in 1931. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (207)

A Tremendous Film With The Great Nicholson
This is an unforgettable film. Jack Nicholson gives one hell of a classic and memorable performance in this film directed by the great Milos Forman. Nicholson plays Randall McMurphy, a rebel inmate of sorts at a psychiatric hospital who fights the system and refuses to give in the hospital's orders or behavior. It's a real groundbreaking film. Nicholson's main adversary is the cold Nurse Ratchett(great name!), played superbly by Louise Fletcher. A remarkable performance. There are also a number of familiar faces in the film. You will definitley recognize Christopher Lloyd, Danny DeVito, and Brad Douriff, as some of the inmates. Will Sampson also gives a memorable performance. There are scenes here that are truly shocking. Anyone who has seen this probably knows what I mean when I say that. All of our actors are dead on perfect as mentally unstable patients. A remarkable cast. The end scene of the film is shocking and definitley won't be forgotten. Go watch this classic film and see one of our biggest and best legends in an astonishing performance. This is deeply recommended!.

A disturbing movie about the disturbed.
In this multi-Academy award winning flick based on Ken Kesey's novel, actor Jack Nicholson as jail-bird Randle P. McMurphy seeks escape from the prison work farm by feigning madness. He is committed to a psychiatric ward for the mentally disturbed for evaluation while the staff try to determine whether his behaviour is genuine insanity or mere rebellion. But being with the mentally ill isn't as rosy as McMurphy imagined it to be, particularly under the repressive regime operated by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). In the battle of mind-games with Ratched, McMurphy discovers that even a simple thing as watching the World Series is impossible, because it might disturb the patients' routine.

Only three movies have ever taken out all five major Academy awards (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay), and "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is one of that elite group. To say that the acting is superb is an understatement. It takes a lot of talent to convincingly portray someone mentally disturbed, but this cast accomplishes it with brilliance. The supporting roles as nearly as terrific as the leading roles: Sydney Lassick as the shaky inarticulate Charlie Cheswick, Brad Dourif as the stuttering virgin Billy Bibbit, Danny DeVito as the infantile Martini, Christopher Lloyd as the wide-eyed trouble-maker Tabor, William Redfield as the eloquent intellectual Dale Harding, and Will Sampson as the mute Indian giant.

But the mentally ill are depicted not merely as objects for examination and pity, but with genuine sympathy as victims under an oppressive regime. Admittedly they're also the source for warm humor; Highlights include McMurphy's commentary of an imaginary baseball game with all the "nuts" cheering, and McMurphy's creative introduction of all patients as "doctors" from the mental institution as they hijack a fishing boat. Those who work with the mentally disturbed in real life will be the first to tell you that you need a sense of humor in dealing with them. But humor doesn't exclude compassion, and this movie raises serious questions about the treatment of the mentally ill.

Everything is geared towards arousing sympathy for the mentally disturbed: minimalist music and silence, dreary colors, bright lighting, and male care-givers who are police-like unnamed uniforms. These factors combine to create an atmosphere that conveys a clinical and sterile environment devoid of compassion for those who need it. Nurse Ratched is depicted as a cold and distant woman without feelings for those in her charge, and her authoritarian role personifies an establishment that cares little for the mentally ill. Rather than show compassion for the weak, she uses therapy sessions to uncover whatever hope and spirit they have and destroy it. McMurphy's embodiment of this human spirit is somewhat exaggerated (the way he initiates interest in basketball games and escapes on a fishing expedition is not entirely plausible), but it makes the point. Interestingly, some have seen the movie as a social criticism on all oppression of the human spirit, with a broad application even to ideologies like communism. As others have said: tyranny has many faces, and the story of freedom from oppression goes beyond the walls of a mental asylum.

The criticism of the handling of the mentally ill is most evident in how the institution handles McMurphy. We identify with McMurphy because we know his insanity is faked, and yet the "treatment" he receives is thoroughly troubling, especially when those in charge resort to electric-shock therapy. Is there a parallel in the way that many social problems (eg depression, ADD) are today diagnosed as mental illnesses and treated with drugs? The tragic way in which McMurphy's "mental illness" is mishandled at the conclusion arouses righteous anger, and is a disturbing indictment on all mistreatment of the mentally ill. There is no crowd-pleasing feel-good ending as his attempt to topple the establishment fails. Yet the lack of a happy ending makes his criticisms of the establishment all the more piercing.

The movie was rated R for frequent profanity/blasphemy, crude sexual talk and one violent scene at the end (there are also scenes involving alcohol, suicide, an incident where sexual promiscuity is applauded, and an implied endorsement of mercy killing). The violence and language is deliberately distasteful and one can hardly feel sympathy for McMurphy as an immoral criminal (he is a convicted rapist, rebels against authority, sets up a gambling casino, and encourages Billy to lose his virginity). Yet one has to feel sympathy for him as he is abused by an inhumane establishment that is equally criminal in its own way by failing to show genuine compassion for those entrusted in its care. If McMurphy's character is distasteful and criminal, so is the character of care given to the mentally ill. Rather than become sidetracked by McMurphy's failings, we need to take a serious look at the failings of the establishment as embodied in Ratched. The tragic consequences (represented by Billy's death & McMurphy's lobotomy) of these failings are just as horrific as the consequences of an immoral life. Understood in this way, this movie is much more than a vindication of the free human spirit and an endorsement of rebellious anti-authoritarianism. More importantly it functions as a biting criticism against the abuse of authority to crush that spirit. This is not a pleasant movie to watch, but it packs a powerful philosophical punch and raises profound questions that are more enduring than mere entertainment.

The conclusion does offer a note of hope, as the silent Indian escapes the cuckoo's nest (perhaps a metaphor of true freedom being found in escaping the establishment and modern institutionalized civilization?). But we are still left with disturbing questions about those who do not escape: Would we really want our family members in a place like this? This is a disturbing movie that raises disturbing questions about the treatment of the disturbed - but questions that need to be asked ... and answered.

a special edition for a very special movie...
Before 1975 we had great violent epics like "The Godfather", "Mean Streets", and "Easy Rider". but later in 1975, director Milos Forman took a challenge on directing the famous novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". hiring top-notch actors, including the up and rising star Jack Nicolsin. With his amazing debut in Easy Rider, Milos Forman thought he would be the perfect person for this role. this incredible movie shocked the world. even better than the novel, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is easily one of the greatest films of all-time.

this movie has the stuff. memorable characters, amazing acting, hilarious jokes, shocking moments, and an ending to always be remembered till the day you die. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest easily has the most memorable ending to a film ever. enough talk of this incredible movie, as for the stuff on the special edition... its also great. with a whole extra disk of extras, deleted scenes, and a whole bunch more. I have tons of DVDs and this is easily one of the best purchases I've bought. No, not just because of the movie but the extra stuff on the DVD.

the Two-disk special edition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a great update to a great movie. by all means, you must have this in your collection.

the best mental patient movie ever
this book was written by ken kesey who used the money to gallavant around the country in the 60s in a school bus and do drugs with a bunch of dirty ol hippies.the story is about a guy who plays crazy to get out of a work farm and into a asylum.jack nicholson is that guy.also included are that crazy dr in back to the future,danny devito,a stuttereererer named billy bibbit,a huge indian whose mute and deaf,some smart ass home boys who help the nurse,a nurse with big boobs etc.children will not be amused by this.it is a tragic story.this movie has adventure,romance,comedy,drama,tragedy and above all is well written.it is very emotional.the nurse is over the top obnoxious and people like her should be put to sleep.amazingly,it is alkmost identical to the book.people say its a classic and well,they are right for once.really its almost entirely funny until the end parts.jack nicholson did his finest work ever in this story.

Jack Nicholson's Crowning Achievement!
What a brilliant actor Jack is. He played four of the most memorable screen characters of all time. Randall McMurphy (this film), Melvin Udall (As Good As It Gets), Jack Torrence (The Shining), and The Joker (Batman). Just saw this film last night for the first time and was blown away. I will be buying this Special Edition real soon. The evil head nurse wasn't as mean as I thought she would be, but man is she well-acted. Everyone should see this film, it's that good! ... Read more

Reviews (223)

Super Freaky
The original Freaky Friday, released in 1977, starred Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, as a mother/daughter, who pull off the old switchero. The sprited 2003 remake is as much fun as the earlier incarnation and is a great showcase for the comedic talents of its two female leads.

Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her 15-year-old daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan) are not getting along all that well. The pair butt heads over everthing from boys, household chores, to mom's upcoming nuptials to Ryan (Mark Harmon). However, everything changes when two identical Chinese fortune cookies cause a little mystic mayhem and Tess and Anna find themselves inside the other's body. And with Tess's wedding only a few days away, the two have to find a way to switch back before the big day.

Under the direction of Mark S. Waters, Freaky Friday, has what many of the identity crisis comedies of the past did not--good chemistry between the leads. Curtis and Lohan make quite a team. I was very impressed with the way they were both able to transform into each other. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a clever and witty script, to back you up. After seeing Curtis strut her stuff, her Golden Globe nomination for her performance, was well deserved.

The DVD has a solid assortment of extras, but I really wish the stars had recorded an audio commentary, that probably would have been lots of fun. Waters offers an introduction for a deleted scene and no less than three alternate endings. I'll let you decide for yourself, which ending works best. Actress Lindsay Lohan grabbed a DV Camera for some fun backstage moments with the cast and crew during the making of the film. There's also a three minute blooper reel that's worth a look, two music videos from the film's soundtrack: Lillix's "What I Like About You" and Halo Friendlies' "Me Vs. the World", a few DVD-ROM weblinks, and the usual Disney sneak peeks. The actual theatrical trailers for either Freaky Friday film, however, didn't make the disc. Viewers can watch the movie in either the full-screen or widescreen formats

This is a lighthearted family comedy that made even this somewhat cynical reviewer smile. Recommended

SWITCHEROONIE
FREAKY FRIDAY is a movie of revelations. First, we have the breakout performance for an actress who has always done well, but in this movie, well she finds her niche. Jamie Lee Curtis is absolutely delightful in the role of Tess Coleman. She brings a comic ability hardly evidenced in her earlier films; she also has the maturity to cut loose and play her teenage daughter with all the stops pulled out. If this was a perfect world, Jamie Lee would find herself with a Best Actress oscar nomination this year. Likewise, Ms. Lindsay Lohan---incredible performance, going from the self-centered teenybopper to the more sophisticated and mature personage of her stressed out mom.
Lohan and Curtis work brilliantly together, and in this same perfect world, Lindsay would also be Oscar nominated.
Director Mark Waters kept things moving at a frenetic pace, and had me chuckling throughout the movie. We can't overlook, either, the wonderful actors in their supporting roles: Mark Harmon was his usual stuffy self, but there was innate warmth lurking there, too; Harold Gould was charming as the hard of hearing grandfather; Ryan Malgarini was perfect as the brother from hell; Dina Spybey was perfect as the too perfect classmate, Stacey; and my favorites: Rosalind Chao and Lucille Soong as the Chinese ladies who get the ball rolling with the switching. They are so full of life, they give the movie incredible bursts of fun and humor. Ironically, Chad Michael Murray worked best in his scenes with Jamie Lee; he seemed to have more maturity and self-confidence.
This is a very entertaining movie, and in its own way, much better than the original.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND OSCAR DON'T BE SUCH A STUFFSHIRT!

Awesome movie!
Great family movie! Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan once again prove what great actresses they are! The movie is very funny and the chemistry between the actors is amazing!

A Fillm for the whole family
I was very happy when I got Freaky Friday for christmas and I enjoy every moment of it. It has a little of everything for the whole family. Rock, love and comdey it just a feel good movie for any age.

Average Flick
I have to say I liked the book better. The movie is kind of shallow. I like Lindsay Lohan a lot, but for some reason this movie didn't serve a purpose for me.
They twisted the story of the book, which was much better might I add, to make 'Anna' a rebel punk rocker with a bad attitude and a belly button ring. I think I may have appreciated this movie more if it had some more meaning.
Some parts of the movie were really good and some parts were kind of stinky. No offense, but after Chad Michael Murray's character entered the movie, that's when the movie got boring. That's the word. Boring. Not bad, just kind of boring.
Don't get me wrong though, it's a lot better than that Lizzie Maguire movie and What A Girl Wants, and I guess maybe littler kids might like it more than I did. But here's the breakdown.....
THE MOVIE: Definitely worth watching, Definitely worth checking out of the library, Worth renting, Maybe not worth buying until you've seen it.
AGES?: 4-6, probably wouldn't get it. 7-9 May like it. 10-13 - my age group....It was okay...kind of predictable. 13+ - most likely will find it boring.
MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS: Mean Girls (PG-13) for younger kids, The Parent Trap and Cheaper By The Dozen.
OTHER: I recommend Freaky Friday, the book, wholeheartedly. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

An Epic As Big As The West Continues!
I have seen all the Lonesome Dove movies and although this one is a spin-off from the others, it's still is a great story. Jon Voight plays a very convincing Capt. Call considering what he had to follow up to. I still would have liked to seen him lose his temper and beat somebody up who acted rude. (I mean who can top Tommy Lee Jones's performance?) This film like the others, really portrayed the harshness of the western frontier and the tough men who had to shape it. Although Barbara Hershey wasn't the plainswomen that Anjelica Houston was, her role was admirable as well. I found it fitting that in the end, Call did reveal his paternity to Newt and Newt had to go off on his own to find his dream. Great plot, good bad guys, and a fitting ending make Return To Lonesome Dove a must see for any Lonesome Dove fan.

Following the Impossible
I will admit that it would have been very hard to follow the original Lonesome Dove as a sequel. But to try and do it with mostly all new actors and with a script written by a different person is practicaly impossible. This movie would have been a fine western had it been released first or on its own. But as a follow up to Lonesome Dove it does not cut the mustard. Jon Voight is a fine actor but his portrayal of Cpt. Woodrow F. Call is not on par with Tommy Lee Jones's. With Gus (Robert Duvall) gone the banter and friendship between the two, part of the initial movies appeal, is also gone. So many of the original characters are gone and much of the feeling was lost.

This movie is decent but the original was a hard act to follow.

Not as great as Lonesome Dove but still very good.
Even though it was a big dissapointment not to have Tommy Lee Jones and Anjelica Houston reprise their roles this movie still ranks in my top 5 favorite movies of all time. The other thing I noticed was the location in Montana did not look like the same place they set up their cabins at the end of the first movie. In the first movie there was a big pond by where Captin Call said this is it and in the second movie you never see the pond. Other then those little trival things this movie was good because you did have some returning folks like Rick Schroder, Tim Scott as Pea Eye, Barry Tubb as Jasper Fant. There was also some of the other originals from the first movie plus Jon Voight looked almost just like Tommy Lee Jones did in the first movie. That really helped the movie. I don't care it Larry McMurty had anything to do with this movie because it still gives the viewer a great story line. I say just because of the few little things that doesn't make it seem like a real carry over from the original I give it 4 stars.

Return to Lonesome Dove
Don't overlook this simply because Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones aren't "in the picture." This is a wonderful depiction of the magic of Larry McMurtry and Jon Voight does a great job as Captain Call.
I bought this about one year ago and I'd recommend it to any "Lonesome Dove" fans.

Lonesome Dove
I have watched Lonesome dove about a hundred times, and i still can,t get enough of it. Lonesome Dove is a clean wholesome movie with a story to boot, not just a shoot em up movie but a superb movie
All the actors in the movie to my mind are the best in the world and i don't think that any other actors could play those parts better than Duvall or Jones. I can't wait to view the return to Lonesome Dove, i have allready seen streets of Laredo and could not understand for the life of me how could Lorena be married to Pea !!! what happened to Dish? its like chalk and cheese so untill I view the return to Lonsome Dove all I can say is good work.! Good work!. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Previously criticized for her marginal acting skills, Sofia Coppola made her directorial debut with The Virgin Suicides and silenced her detractors. No amount of coaching from her director father (Francis Coppola) or husband (Spike Jonze) could have guaranteed a film this assured, and in adapting Jeffrey Eugenides's novel, Coppola demonstrates the sensitivity and emotional depth that this material demands. Surely the pain of youth and public criticism found its way into her directorial voice; in the story of four sisters who self-destruct under the steady erosion of their youthful ideals, one can clearly sense Coppola's intimate connection to the inner lives of her characters.

Played in a delicate minor key, the film is heartbreaking, mysterious, and soulfully funny, set in a Michigan suburb of the mid-1970s but timeless and universal to anyone who's been a teenager. The four surviving Lisbon sisters lost a sibling to suicide, and as its title suggests, the film will chart their mutual course to oblivion under the vigilance of repressive parents (Kathleen Turner and James Woods, perfectly cast). But The Virgin Suicides is more concerned with life in that precious interlude of adolescence, when the Lisbon girls are worshipped by the neighborhood boys, their notion of perfection epitomized by Lux (Kirsten Dunst) and her storybook love for high-school stud Trip (Josh Hartnett). Unfolding at the cusp of innocence and sexual awakening, and recalled as a memory, The Virgin Suicides is, ultimately, about the preservation of the Lisbon sisters by their own deaths--suspended in time, polished to perfection, and forever untainted by adulthood. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (225)

one of the most important films of our time
this is sophia coppola's directorial debut and she has literally struck gold. although i've never read the novel from which this terrific film was based, i was thoroughly impressed and do believe this to be one of the most important films of our time. this is a film we will be glad to look back on 20 years down the road and it's gonna be amazing to see people's responses at that time. virgin suicides captures all the sure fire innocence of growing pains in the seventies which any episode of brady bunch would've completely avoided at all costs. one could learn a great deal from this movie concerning the value of life and how truly misunderstood teenagers have been through the years. perhaps ms.coppola is urging us to recongize the importance of a life and that we all should be cognizant that life itself is irreplaceable. nothing should be considered trivial. having said that, i feel ms.coppola is also showing that memories of the faithful departed are proven to be a substantial thing when it comes to knowing which direction in life we are headed and knowing our love for the deceased will live as long as we choose to remember them. great performances all around give this film a tremendous amount of strength and air has composed a haunting but sensual soundtrack. a must see film !! kirsten dunst's best performance since interview with the vampire in my opinion.

It's Up To You . . .
What makes The Virgin Suicides so unique and emotive is that it shares a wonderful quality for personal interpretation with the viewer ... Like poetry, or song lyrics that don't "over-explain", The Virgin Suicides allows the viewer to become part of the picture because of personal experience .... ( Without giving away too much .. ) You can FEEL what is happening during the scene in which one of the daughters leaves a party ... A feeling of dread, yet understanding, all done in a very moving way ... And that tone runs throughout the film; very dreamlike and surreal, yet done in a way in which you feel as if you have experienced it as well ... I won't rehash the storyline, but I will say that I was very moved and taken in by the performances, and Sofia does a brilliant job directing ... I don't say this about many films, but I highly recommend that you give an 2 hours of your time to a film that will stay with you forever ...

A film that will leave it's mark in your mind.
This movie is one of a kind. A group of girls so full of youth and beauty and a group of guys who are so gripped by them they become an obsession to them. The girls are living in a prison, with their mother and father watching their every move. They have dreams of being free, wandering through wide open fields and imagining their wildest thoughts. One day a boy arrives on the scene and he changes the girls lives forever. For a moment the girls are free and start to experience life outside their parents limitations. The events of one night take their toll on the girls lives and there was no going back to normality from then on.
Such a beautifully crafted movie. The choice of actors couldn't have been better. Kirsten Dunst played Lux like a true star. Lux being the more outrageous and dangerous of the girls, she battles with demons inside but her face shows a different thing.
Kathleen Turner as the mother was one of the best castings of them all. The way she portrayed this mother who could not let her daughters grow up and be teenagers and even when she gives them freedom she feels great regret and fear. Josh Hartnett as Tripp, the guy who's passion for Lux drives him crazy. He walks into the girls lives and makes one night for them the most fun they're likely to have in their short lived lives. I could mention all the actors in this because they were all perfect for their roles, but if you watch the film you will see them and judge for yourselves. This movie left me thinking for weeks on end and to me a movie that can have a lasting effect on you, well thats got to be pure excellence.

Nothing Personal...
Less than stellar film from Marc Jacobs' perfume model of the moment, Sofia Coppola. The music was great, Josh Hartnett was hilarious in his giant, moppy wig as Trip Fontaine, and Kirsten Dunst turns in a pretty good performance...

but overall, this was a distant, dreamy picture, without much focus...

It's pretty maybe yeah, but on the shallow side..

When it ended, I kept thinking someone should do a sequel, maybe from the girls' point of view this time... or perhaps instead one showing the girls choosing to live, to grow up and grow old.. the things they would face, the joys, the sorrows, the Real Life stuff that makes life so beautiful...

Capturing them eternally at that moment, on the cusp of adulthood, like Romeo and Juliet, is an interesting idea, but it's not entirely harmless, either... both the suicides themselves, and the closed-in, stuck state the girls seem to be in seemed to be sending out entirely the wrong message to the likely audience of the film (teenagers themselves)... I mean, I understand, the girls were held back by their repressive parents, and that they were the victims.. I just didn't see why the film had to leave it at that... the girls give up, kill themselves, and are remembered forever in the beautiful, crystallized sunlit glow of the neighborhood boys... are they cut-out figures?? What's up with that? What about their own dreams? Their own desires? Their own obsessions?

for me, it was like a black and white film, when I was in the mood for color...

That said, the cinematography Was nice, and the shots of the sun through the trees.. but overall this movie is a light and fluffy dream, like cotton candy, nothing more.... I would have liked it more had the period of time been set in the boys' memory forever as they grew up and left the neighborhood, (with the girls still alive, but getting older themselves as well)... all of us have to wave goodbye to that awkward, confusing time of youth anyway... it was just a pity to see the two-dimensional girls left forever in that state, when what would have been more perfect is if they'd lived.. and looked back themselves.... the fact that they were glorified as ephemeral fanstasies instead of human beings made me sad, like the film had missed the point of it all.. adolescence is fleeting, beautiful... but to have a long life, lived well, and a voice of your own, well, nothing compares to that...

HELLO! was i the ONLY ONE watching?
"blah blah blah sofia coppola hollywood royalty blah first movie blah blah blah virgin suicides hauntingly recaptures teen angst blah blah." the critics have said a lot about this movie, but an important point they all seemed to miss was that the movie was crap!

yeah, the movie was haunting, but ANY movie where you kill off 5 beautiful teenage girls is not going to be a cheery walk in the park. the cinematography was pretty good, i'll give it that. the five Lisbon girls (the virgins who commit suicide) are definitely aloof and scenes of the movie shot in soft-focus represent that (in some artsy way). they're beautiful, blonde, and they don't talk too much: they're the ideal of the male fantasy. and they mysteriously kill themselves. why? we the audience never find out.

this movie leaves you with far more questions than answers. why would 5 gorgeous girls throw their whole lives away? because their parents are overbearing? that's the lamest excuse to kill yourself i've ever heard. every teenager hates their parents at some point in their lives, but obviously not every teenager goes off and kills him or herself. the girls are a mystery and the viewer never gets the opportunity to identify with them. they live pointless and short lives and they leave this world selfishly taking their lives and offering no real explanations.

this movie lacked something rather essential: a point. i learned nothing from this movie. at the end i was in no way motivated or inspired. after watching the virgin suicides, i would have felt depressed but i didn't form any real emotional attachments with any of the characters so instead of depressed, i had this weird empty feeling. i felt like i was just shown a picture of something i didn't want to see (like a naked, hairy fat man holding a toy poodle, wearing a tutu, sitting spread eagle): i was left with a disturbing image of an example of how sick and weird some people are. just like the Lisbon girl's suicide, i have no idea why the naked fat man chose to do what he did in the picture, but quite fankly, i don't care. i'm left with a horrible image in my head i can't shake.

this movie was crap. it was pointless. i wouldn't recommend it to anyone, unless they were watching a crappy teen-angst/depression movie marathon. if the movie had a stronger plot and better acting, maybe it would deserve more than one star. but it doesn't. i think one star is far too generous at that. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

HEAVY! THOUGHTFUL!
The landscape of an island of Ireland, the music, and the subject of this movie prompts introspection in one's religious behavior, what is meaningful in such behavior, what is not.

Add to that the question of conflict of personal BELIEF with OBEDIENCE to church dogma and you have the makings of a heavy story, which the actors and director delivered in an "excellent" manner, and I rated it a "4" as a result.

There is an emotional and intellectual hangover produced by getting involved with the film, so beware. It is NOT just ENTERTAINMENT. It should make you THINK about your FAITH and the practice of it.

Bill Schaefer

Great Original Film, But Flawed Editing and Reproduction.
This made-for-TV movie from 1973 was shown full-length on U.S. public broadcasting stations in the 1970s. It is a visually and intellectually impressive film. The story line is very faithful to the 1972 book "Catholics" by Brian Moore, with only a couple of scenes sequenced differently, and in my opinion, rather more effectively than in the book. Unfortunately, later VHS versions have been shortened, with about the first ten minutes of the original film deleted. This DVD version shares the same significant defect.

The first few minutes of the original film were essential in setting the context for the conflict portrayed between the traditionalist Irish monks led by their Father Abbot (Trevor Howard), and the modernist representative (Martin Sheen) of their order's Vatican Father General. During these missing first few minutes, we would have seen Sheen meeting with the Father General (Raf Vallone) in Rome, and discussing the "problem" of the return of Latin Mass celebration by the monks of Howard's abbey and the growing world-wide popularity of that celebration. The first scene made it clear that the time period portrayed is hypothetical and futuristic. In this fabulous Roman Catholic Church, additional modifications and liberalization of doctrine are supposed to have taken place beyond those that have been in effect since Vatican II. Within the film, there are mentions of a "Vatican IV" and other hypothetical conventions. Missing the original initial scene, many may believe that the film has grossly erred in, or deliberately distorted, current Roman Catholic beliefs. This was not the motive of the movie as originally filmed, and it is a tremendous loss to the integrity of the original story that the vital first scene of the movie has been edited away. However, this does explain the crediting of Raf Vallone as Father General at the start and end of the film, when in fact Raf Vallone/Father General never appears in the VHS or DVD versions. It would be well worthwhile to read the first chapter of the book before seeing a shortened home video release, if at all possible.

The DVD video quality is disappointing. The color is washed out, and in several scenes it is strangely yellow-tinted. It is definitely inferior to my ten-year-old VHS copy issued by USA Home Video. The sound is occasionally clipped, with words lost in several places. Not so my VHS copy. The original film title was "Catholics, A Fable" but the cryptic title of "The Conflict" has been used for the DVD. The DVD also contains an idiotic special feature in the form of an interactive quiz about the movie content. One may entertain one's self with such challenging questions as "What was on the sign carried by the man in the brown suit?" or "What color was the priest's car?" The quiz even has incorrect answers!

In spite of these problems, I state without reservation that this DVD is well worth owning. Since Vatican II there has existed a Roman Catholic traditionalist movement that today seems to have more Vatican-sanctioned success than would ever have been thought possible at the time this film was made. Some have tried to relate the events portrayed in this film to that movement. But by movie's end, this film actually depicts far more important issues of religious belief, and its loss. This is a film, like the book, that will be of interest to anyone, of whatever faith or none, for whom philosophy of religion is of interest.

The acting by Trevor Howard is absolutely flawless and authentic. It is art and it is masterful and it is heartfelt and it is beautiful. Almost equally so is that of Cyril Cusack, who plays the role of Father Manus, a monk. Sheen's role is important, but not nearly as much as Howard's, and not remotely as well-crafted.

This is as intelligent and entertaining a film today as it was when it was made 30 years ago. Let us hope someone in the near future will gather an old PBS copy of the complete film, digitally re-master it, and finally give us a proper and fitting version of this film. I know of no other film that deserves it so much.

Very Inacurate Statements - terrible Video Transfer
There are two things extremely wrong with this DVD. First and most important are statements made by Martin Sheen as a representative of Rome stating that during Mass, the miracle that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ does not happen. This is one of the basic tenants of Catholic belief and a representative from Rome would NEVER state that this miracle does not happen. No wonder the monks revolt!

The transfer to DVD is HORRIBLE! The color continually fluctuates, skin tones go from almost black and white to flech tones to green tints all in the same scenes. The picture is very grainy in some scenes. One of the worst transfers I have seen.

The original title of this film was "Catholics" and, while "Conflict" is a better indication of the content of the story, it should have been released under the original title.

All things considered, in spite of strong performances, this DVD is a mess and a definite affront to Catholics.

as good as the original book
"Catholics" is a faithful adaptation of Brian Moore's novella of the same name. Trevor Howard plays the abbot who is the crux of the plot; Martin Sheen (who is one of the rare people who is just as physically gorgeous today, in his fifties, as he was when this movie was made in 1973) plays the aggressive young inquisitor from Rome. This film is only superficially about the conflict between modern and traditional strains in the Church -- the real story is about the abbot, who after a lifetime in religion has lost his faith and is afraid to try to find it again. Howard, a superlative actor, could convey more with a twitch of an eyebrow than some present-day stars can with any amount of "Method" acting. His subtle portrayal of spiritual anguish blows all the other actors, Sheen included, right off the screen. His only serious competition comes from the scenery -- the film was shot on location on the Irish coast, one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful places on earth.

A nostalgic film for Baby Boomer Papists
If you're an early Baby Boomer born and raised a Roman Catholic, then you'll likely appreciate the 1973 film CATHOLICS. If you're of any other faith, or a Catholic born later than, say, 1960, then the movie may be of only academic interest. Indeed, if you're a young Catholic today, then the issues around which the plot pivots may not be comprehensible at all.

A youthful Martin Sheen plays a priest sent by Rome to an Irish monastery located on an isolated, windswept island. His mission, to demand that the monks cease and desist celebrating the Mass in Latin. The Vatican hierarchy is attempting to modernize the Mass worldwide, i.e. have it celebrated in the vernacular, as well as promote the new policy that the Transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is symbolic, not real. Trouble is, the monastery's priests have been celebrating the Mass on the mainland in the traditional manner. More to the point, the ceremony has been televised, and is causing a pious, revivalist stir among the faithful. The pencil pushing prelates back in Rome are not pleased with this political incorrectness.

The marvelous actor Trevor Howard plays the crusty, wise, spiritually troubled, monastery abbot, who must find a way to obey the dictate of the enforcer sent down from the Big House, while avoiding a rebellion among the monks, who consider the emissary's message an abomination, and he himself disconcertingly trendy. (Faith and begorrah, he doesn't even wear the traditional, Roman clerical collar!)

Are you still with me on this, or have I lost you? If I haven't, God bless ya, darlin'. In any case, all of the acting performances are wonderful, especially Howard's. The character actors portraying the abbot's cowled flock were chosen with pure genius. And the wild Irish coastal scenery ... ah, 'tis St. Patrick's own, surely.

As I said up front, you had to be born a Papist prior to 1960, as I was, to understand what the fuss was all about. I well remember the horror with which my mother regarded the vernacular Mass. To this day, she'll seek out the Latin Mass in those rare places - sort of a doctrinal Underground - where it's still celebrated. Mom, this review is dedicated to you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ice Cube wrote and stars as Craig in this sequel to Friday, which he also wrote. His nemesis from that film, neighborhood bully Debo (Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr.), has just escaped from county jail and is out to get revenge. To protect Craig, Craig's father (John Witherspoon) sends his son to stay with his Uncle Elroy (Don "DC" Curry), who won the lottery and bought a house in Rancho Cucamonga. Craig expects the suburbs to be dull, but no sooner has he arrived than conflicts arise: The neighbors are hostile hoods, his cousin's girlfriend is out for blood and child support, and the house is about to be seized because of unpaid taxes. It's up to Craig and his cousin Day-Day (Mike Epps) to solve these problems before the day is over. It's a rambling, loose movie, but a genuinely entertaining one. Ice Cube doesn't write punch lines--though funny lines abound. He writes richly comic characters that speak in virtual arias of bragging, complaining, and scamming. Sure, some of the characters are stereotypes and many of the jokes are about drugs and scatology--but that's been the basis of humor since Plautus and Molière. The rhythmic energy of Ice Cube's dialogue and the easy charisma of his performance make Next Friday thoroughly enjoyable. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (100)

can u please tell me what ive been watching for 90 minutes?
this movie is very bad. i enjoyed the first friday to some degree, and was expecting a more comical sequel give the box office take of NEXT FRIDAY. what i got was more dirty jokes and stereotypes left and right, and not much of it was funny. a lot of the same topics are rehashed and beaten to death by the poor script and horrible acting. i chuckled maybe 4 or 5 times, and that was it in terms of comedic value. the film is confused, leaving the viewer even more confused.

Next Friday
I have to admit, when I first heard about this one and people told me that Chris Tucker wasn't going to be in, I thought right off the bat that this was going to be another terrible sequel. After I saw it, I gotta say I was wrong because NEXT FRIDAY was really funny and all out a great sequel to it's original FRIDAY.

In this one, Craig (Ice Cube) is going to his Uncle Elroy's for a little while. After a few days of hanging out and doing whatever with his cousin Dae Dae (Mike Epps), Craig signs for a special delivery and the letter states that his Uncle Elroy owes a lot of money because of a delinquent property tax payment and now his Uncle will lose his house if they can't get the money. So now Craig and Dae Dae have to fund the money so they don't lose the house, dodge their next door neighbors the Joker brothers that want to take it to them, Dae Dae has to dodge his ex-girlfriend and her destructive sister and the word is out that Debo has broken out of prison and he's looking for Craig. It's another great, kick back and laugh out loud comedy.

Like I said before, just because Chris Tucker isn't in this one doesn't mean that it's bad. I thought it was pretty funny and Epps really doesn't replace Tucker. In my opinion, Epps just adds a new character to the mix and Cube and Epps are funny as hell together. Plus this one has a lot more laughs. Granted yes, most of the comedy circles around the pot smoking but the parts that don't are really funny.

Just remember, if you want to check out NEXT FRIDAY you have to check out FRIDAY first or you'll miss some jokes and there will be holes in the plot as well. Check out these 2 great titles and when it comes to DVD and Video check out FRIDAY AFTER NEXT.

The Friday Collection Left The Other Movies In The Ash Tray
First off I'd like to start my review like this.
Why are you guys even attempting to compare these movies to other ones?

Friday ... it really set the standards to what goes on now in our community. It told people "dont be ashamed if you do it".

This second movie was without a doubt just as funny as the first one. Yes, Chris Tucker is not in it but they covered it up well in the movie.

The whole plot of the movie is that Craig has to get away from his neighbor---hood because of Deebo. He went to jail but rumors circulated that he was planning an escape.

Craig's Father decides he's going to move in with Uncle Elroy and his cousin Day-Day. His uncle had won the lotto so he moved into what they called a "White neighborhood".

Trouble occurs naturally. Ya'll just gotta buy it. If you haven't done so already, buy part 3 (Friday After Next) aswell.

Holla At Cha Boi

"Next Friday" DVD Review!
Ice Cube returns for the second installment in the "Friday" franchise. This time, he's moving out of the hood and into his rich uncle's home in Rancho Cucamonga. Chris Tucker's out of the picture and in his place is Mike Epps as Cube's wacky cousin. Also returning for this one are John Witherspoon and Tiny "Zeus" Lister but a majority of the characters are brand new to the series with Don "D.C." Curry, Tamala Jones, Clifton Powell, Justin Pierce, and Sticky Fingaz joining the ensemble cast.

"Next Friday" has Craig moving out to the 'burbs when he learns that the neighborhood bully, Deebo (Lister) has escaped from prison and is looking for him. The suburbs prove to be just as much trouble as he has to deal with the Latino thugs who live next door, a trigger-happy record store owner, and his cousin's obsessive ex-girlfriend. When it turns out that his uncle has just 24 hours to come up with some money to cover some unpaid taxes on the house, Cube devises a plan that has him, his cousin, Day-Day (Epps), and their token white friend (the late Justin Pierce) breaking into the next door neighbor's house.

"Next Friday" is a decent follow-up but the loss of co-writer DJ Pooh and star Chris Tucker is a lot to get over. Epps puts in a humorous comedic performance but he's no Tucker. The new characters are hit and miss. Amy Hill's Asian neighbor is a weak and tired sterotype-driven character. If you can't tell that Hill isn't Korean by looking at her, her awful attempt at an accent will give it away. Jacob Vargas as the loud-mouthed Latio neighbor is entertaining though they seemed to have run out of material for him in some areas. Sticky Fingaz is hilarious as Tyrone, Deebo's prison sidekick and Lisa Rodriguez is easy on the eyes as Cube's love interest.

While it's not on the same level as the original, "Next Friday" has more than a few laughs. Cube and Epps have pretty good chemistry and the suburban backdrop makes for a nice change of pace for an urban comedy (it's certainly done more effectively than on Fox's "Red And Meth"). The DVD presentation has a lot of cool extra features including an alternate ending, the Mike Epps audition tape, and an audio commentary by director Steve Carr.

should have been the third film
I enjoyed Ice Cube in this movie, but I think Day-day and uncle Elroy could have been funnier, Debo was the best part along with the new character sticky fingaz but wtf happened to Debo? ... Read more

Reviews (28)

if u sk8 or not u'll love this movie
well let me start off by saying if u didn't give this movie a 4 or 5 u SUCK!!!!!!!! this is the best movie EVER! Well past that this movie has apperences of pros like bam , bob burnquist , bucky (who is erics skate double)and from jackass preston lacy... ive watched this movie like 10 times. this is funnier then two towers (hence the movie awards 2004) dont rent it buy it!!! i own it and its the best. I like the music by hot action cop and the donnas. ive been sk8'in for 3 years and this movie is awesome. ryan sheckler is in this and he is too good!! Peace out ( BUY THIS) BoB

funny movie with good lessons
this movie is funny (at times hillarious) in a crude, "dude" type of way, but not at all in a mean spirited or overly offensve way. It's a sports/road trip movie with some nods to MTV Jackass and skating, but does have some positive qualities, mostly the underlying themes which are "commentaries" on the world according to guys.

..a few lessons on how to meet girls, how to have friends, keeping a sense of humor, sticking with your freinds, and how to stay focused on your goals, even when you literally smell like dookie. Has some commentary about how many guys feel-even if you have great talent, you'll feel like you're ignored by society until that miraculous day when you're "sponsored" and suddenly respected by everyone for the talent you've had all along
-I think every guy can relate to this theme, whether a 18 year old skater or a 30 year old office worker-
This is a movie, in some ways, about being a guy

Despite the bathroom humor here and there, I still recommend this movie for the positive underlying themes and the skate scenes, which are cool

this movie ROCKS
i just watched this movie about a week ago with my best friend. from the reviews it had gotten and the commericials, i wasnt too interested in getting it. was i wrong. yea, the humor isnt liked by everyone. but everyone will find something to enjoy in this movie. i loved all the characters. sweet lou, matt, dustic and eric. i also discovered ryan sheckler, which is NOT a bad thing. give the movie a chance and rent it, who cant love the breakdance scene?

skate!
Thate was the best movie if ever seen!It was so cool it was so cool Im going to start to skateboard!You have to see this movie its so sweet!KEEP SKATEBOARDING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get out of the pool.
This movie is hard to stomach. The best part of the movie comes from the sporadic insertion of skating sequences. The skaters are skilled and a pleasure to watch, but this does not make a good movie. The humor in the movie is sophomoric at best and never really produces a good laugh. I felt that my time was wasted by sitting in front of this drivel for 104 minutes. Avoid this loser of a movie. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Tears of Endearment
Fresh off the success of his television series TAXI, James L Brooks came to the big screen with his directorial debut: a comic film culminating in a main character succumbing to cancer. That certainly doesn't sound like the most promising comedy material but TERMS OF ENDEARMENT is a success in both comedy and drama. It is a very funny film that ends up a tearjerker without ever sacrificing the humor.

The mother and daughter act of Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) and Emma (Debra Winger) are at the heart of the story. The mother is consistently over-protective and disappointed in her daughter. Emma is one of the most compassionate human beings in the cinematic world. When Emma ups and marries the wrong guy (Jeff Daniels) there relationship becomes one of the phone lines. Even that doesn't squelch Aurora's power of her daughter. But when Aurora finally dates her free-spirited neighbor (Jack Nicholson), she softens as a human being and backs off of.

The film is quite clever with its characters and dialogue, often right from McMurtry's novel. Brooks works wonders with a dream cast that was often a nightmare. The audio commentary on the DVD offers a very open discussion of the Diva attitudes on the set. And Brooks exposes some other things as well but the commentary is often self-congratulatory. This is a great film in the style of BROADCAST NEWS and AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

Funny,sad,intense,just like real life.A classic.
I first saw "Terms of Endearment" in the theatre when it first came out at Christmas 1983 and thought it was an excellent picture. Then,saw it several years later on home video and I still think so. I even gave a copy of the video to my sister for a birthday present(along with some other of her favorite movies). A lot of the credit should go to James L. Brooks who was the writer and director.Mr. Brooks was a writer on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the '70's and wrote the enjoyable movie "Starting Over" in 1979.

Shirley MacLaine stars as Aurora and Debra Winger is her daughter Emma and the story is about their relationship over many years.The two leads both gave fabulous performances. Ms.MacLaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress(her one and only win) and Ms. Winger was nominated.Jack Nicholson gave a very funny,likable performance as the former astronaut who lives next door to Aurora. Nicholson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role(a role that Burt Reynolds turned down due to a prior commitment.Reynolds regretted it later because the movie he turned the role down for turned out to be a flop).Actors John Lithgow and a then unknown Jeff Daniels also give good performances in supporting roles.

However, the real kudos go to James L.Brooks who won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Adaptation(from the novel by Larry McMurtry)and for Best Director,very impressive since this was his directorial debut.And,it also won Best Picture of the year.The story has many funny moments,sad moments,and intense moments,just like in real life.Mr.Brooks went on to write and direct "Broadcast News" in 1987 and "As Good As It Gets" in 1997 which were both very good pictures also.There was a sequel to "Terms of Endearment" some 16 years later in 1996 called "The Evening Star" with Ms.MacLaine and Mr. Nicholson but with a different writer and director."The Evening Star" was no classic but "Terms of Endearment" truly is.

Somewhat cold, but still wonderful.
I saw this movie after I had seen Steel Magnolias, and to be honest it did not impress me as much as Steel Magnolias did. They are both classics in the film world, but I found Magnolias better and more heartwarming. Shirley Maclaine did a wonderful job acting in this film as the troubled mother of a sickly daughter. The movie comes together in the end but at some points the movie lacked that sense of heart and home that Steel Magnolias had. See it and make the judgment for yourself. I do reccomend it.

Tear-jerker
Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger play mother and daughter who are alternately at love and war with each other as they go on the roller-coaster of life. On a routine visit to the pediatrician for one of her sons, Winger's doc is more interested in her swollen glands than he is in her son's ear ache - and the next thing we know, Winger's diagnosed with a terminal illness. The pathos is well played, and I challenge anyone to emerge dry-eyed from the scene in which she says good-bye to her sons, esp to the one who is so angry and uncommunicative.
Everyone comes thru in the end, including the lumpish ex-husband, and Jack Nicholson, playing a free-spirited astronaut who is MacLaine's love interest, deservedly won an Oscar for this performance.
Excellent book by McMurtry; great movie by James L. Brooks.

As a Male, I Dig This Movie
This film is categorized as a chick flick...but hey it made me cry too. I was a kid when I saw this film. My cat had just died, and guess what her name was? ...EMMA!!!!
Well when Emma died in the film I almost lost it..
Shirley MacLaine said working with Debra Winger was hard to do as Debra was very gassy... ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

amazon bias
erik reitz review is incredibly bigoted and hostile toward catholics - however i wrote a review pointing this out and incredibly you don't post my review but retain his - another thing i've noticed that amazon allows bigoted views against western civ, christianity, catholicism, anglos, men, heterosexuals etc to be posted & while some people will reply exposing this bigotry amazon runs the double standard of allowing unrestrained bigotry on one side while censoring the other side - you claim to moderate fairly yet what you do is allow left wing bigotry unchecked and the rest censored - amazon has presented a hostile evironment to the above mentioned censored majority of which i am a part - i cringe everytime i shop amazon's reviews that my sensibilities will not only be ignored but trampled and violated

The Scarlet & The Black
Great Job ... Acting, Location & Story. Its nice to see one more positive telling of the Church during the war. Not too many people know that the Chief Rabi of Rome during and immediately after the war, Israel Zolii, was so impressed by the Christians in Rome who tried to protect Jews from nazi persecution, that he was baptised as Catholic shortly after the end of the war. He took for his Christian name Eugene ... the same first name as Pope Pius XII, whom he especially admired as a friend and protector of Jews. He died as a devout Catholic.

One of the best!
This movie never gets enough credit! This is one of the best war time movies ever and with Mr. Peck's passing this is a must see for Peck fans who have not seen this movie. Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer in one of his best roles play a cat and mouse game during WW2. The acting is fantastic and there is a lot of suspense! A must see! ... Read more

Description

A nice rest in a state mental hospital beats a stretch in the pen, right? Randle P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a free-spirited con with lightning in his veins and glib on his tongue, fakes insanity and moves in with what he calls the "nuts." Immediately, his contagious sense of disorder runs up against numbing routine. No way should guys pickled on sedatives shuffle around in bathrobes when the World Series is on. This means war! On one side is McMurphy. On the other is soft-spoken Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), among the most coldly monstrous villains in film history. At stake is the fate of every patient on the ward. Based on Ken Kesey's acclaimed bestseller, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest swept all five major 1975 Academy Awards: Best Picture (produced by Saul Zaentz and Michael Douglas), Actor (Nicholson), Actress (Fletcher), Director (Milos Forman) and Adapted Screenplay (Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman). Raucous, searing and with a superb cast that includes Brad Dourif, Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd in his film debut, this one soars. ... Read more

Reviews (207)

A Tremendous Film With The Great Nicholson
This is an unforgettable film. Jack Nicholson gives one hell of a classic and memorable performance in this film directed by the great Milos Forman. Nicholson plays Randall McMurphy, a rebel inmate of sorts at a psychiatric hospital who fights the system and refuses to give in the hospital's orders or behavior. It's a real groundbreaking film. Nicholson's main adversary is the cold Nurse Ratchett(great name!), played superbly by Louise Fletcher. A remarkable performance. There are also a number of familiar faces in the film. You will definitley recognize Christopher Lloyd, Danny DeVito, and Brad Douriff, as some of the inmates. Will Sampson also gives a memorable performance. There are scenes here that are truly shocking. Anyone who has seen this probably knows what I mean when I say that. All of our actors are dead on perfect as mentally unstable patients. A remarkable cast. The end scene of the film is shocking and definitley won't be forgotten. Go watch this classic film and see one of our biggest and best legends in an astonishing performance. This is deeply recommended!.

A disturbing movie about the disturbed.
In this multi-Academy award winning flick based on Ken Kesey's novel, actor Jack Nicholson as jail-bird Randle P. McMurphy seeks escape from the prison work farm by feigning madness. He is committed to a psychiatric ward for the mentally disturbed for evaluation while the staff try to determine whether his behaviour is genuine insanity or mere rebellion. But being with the mentally ill isn't as rosy as McMurphy imagined it to be, particularly under the repressive regime operated by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). In the battle of mind-games with Ratched, McMurphy discovers that even a simple thing as watching the World Series is impossible, because it might disturb the patients' routine.

Only three movies have ever taken out all five major Academy awards (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay), and "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is one of that elite group. To say that the acting is superb is an understatement. It takes a lot of talent to convincingly portray someone mentally disturbed, but this cast accomplishes it with brilliance. The supporting roles as nearly as terrific as the leading roles: Sydney Lassick as the shaky inarticulate Charlie Cheswick, Brad Dourif as the stuttering virgin Billy Bibbit, Danny DeVito as the infantile Martini, Christopher Lloyd as the wide-eyed trouble-maker Tabor, William Redfield as the eloquent intellectual Dale Harding, and Will Sampson as the mute Indian giant.

But the mentally ill are depicted not merely as objects for examination and pity, but with genuine sympathy as victims under an oppressive regime. Admittedly they're also the source for warm humor; Highlights include McMurphy's commentary of an imaginary baseball game with all the "nuts" cheering, and McMurphy's creative introduction of all patients as "doctors" from the mental institution as they hijack a fishing boat. Those who work with the mentally disturbed in real life will be the first to tell you that you need a sense of humor in dealing with them. But humor doesn't exclude compassion, and this movie raises serious questions about the treatment of the mentally ill.

Everything is geared towards arousing sympathy for the mentally disturbed: minimalist music and silence, dreary colors, bright lighting, and male care-givers who are police-like unnamed uniforms. These factors combine to create an atmosphere that conveys a clinical and sterile environment devoid of compassion for those who need it. Nurse Ratched is depicted as a cold and distant woman without feelings for those in her charge, and her authoritarian role personifies an establishment that cares little for the mentally ill. Rather than show compassion for the weak, she uses therapy sessions to uncover whatever hope and spirit they have and destroy it. McMurphy's embodiment of this human spirit is somewhat exaggerated (the way he initiates interest in basketball games and escapes on a fishing expedition is not entirely plausible), but it makes the point. Interestingly, some have seen the movie as a social criticism on all oppression of the human spirit, with a broad application even to ideologies like communism. As others have said: tyranny has many faces, and the story of freedom from oppression goes beyond the walls of a mental asylum.

The criticism of the handling of the mentally ill is most evident in how the institution handles McMurphy. We identify with McMurphy because we know his insanity is faked, and yet the "treatment" he receives is thoroughly troubling, especially when those in charge resort to electric-shock therapy. Is there a parallel in the way that many social problems (eg depression, ADD) are today diagnosed as mental illnesses and treated with drugs? The tragic way in which McMurphy's "mental illness" is mishandled at the conclusion arouses righteous anger, and is a disturbing indictment on all mistreatment of the mentally ill. There is no crowd-pleasing feel-good ending as his attempt to topple the establishment fails. Yet the lack of a happy ending makes his criticisms of the establishment all the more piercing.

The movie was rated R for frequent profanity/blasphemy, crude sexual talk and one violent scene at the end (there are also scenes involving alcohol, suicide, an incident where sexual promiscuity is applauded, and an implied endorsement of mercy killing). The violence and language is deliberately distasteful and one can hardly feel sympathy for McMurphy as an immoral criminal (he is a convicted rapist, rebels against authority, sets up a gambling casino, and encourages Billy to lose his virginity). Yet one has to feel sympathy for him as he is abused by an inhumane establishment that is equally criminal in its own way by failing to show genuine compassion for those entrusted in its care. If McMurphy's character is distasteful and criminal, so is the character of care given to the mentally ill. Rather than become sidetracked by McMurphy's failings, we need to take a serious look at the failings of the establishment as embodied in Ratched. The tragic consequences (represented by Billy's death & McMurphy's lobotomy) of these failings are just as horrific as the consequences of an immoral life. Understood in this way, this movie is much more than a vindication of the free human spirit and an endorsement of rebellious anti-authoritarianism. More importantly it functions as a biting criticism against the abuse of authority to crush that spirit. This is not a pleasant movie to watch, but it packs a powerful philosophical punch and raises profound questions that are more enduring than mere entertainment.

The conclusion does offer a note of hope, as the silent Indian escapes the cuckoo's nest (perhaps a metaphor of true freedom being found in escaping the establishment and modern institutionalized civilization?). But we are still left with disturbing questions about those who do not escape: Would we really want our family members in a place like this? This is a disturbing movie that raises disturbing questions about the treatment of the disturbed - but questions that need to be asked ... and answered.

a special edition for a very special movie...
Before 1975 we had great violent epics like "The Godfather", "Mean Streets", and "Easy Rider". but later in 1975, director Milos Forman took a challenge on directing the famous novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". hiring top-notch actors, including the up and rising star Jack Nicolsin. With his amazing debut in Easy Rider, Milos Forman thought he would be the perfect person for this role. this incredible movie shocked the world. even better than the novel, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is easily one of the greatest films of all-time.

this movie has the stuff. memorable characters, amazing acting, hilarious jokes, shocking moments, and an ending to always be remembered till the day you die. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest easily has the most memorable ending to a film ever. enough talk of this incredible movie, as for the stuff on the special edition... its also great. with a whole extra disk of extras, deleted scenes, and a whole bunch more. I have tons of DVDs and this is easily one of the best purchases I've bought. No, not just because of the movie but the extra stuff on the DVD.

the Two-disk special edition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a great update to a great movie. by all means, you must have this in your collection.

the best mental patient movie ever
this book was written by ken kesey who used the money to gallavant around the country in the 60s in a school bus and do drugs with a bunch of dirty ol hippies.the story is about a guy who plays crazy to get out of a work farm and into a asylum.jack nicholson is that guy.also included are that crazy dr in back to the future,danny devito,a stuttereererer named billy bibbit,a huge indian whose mute and deaf,some smart ass home boys who help the nurse,a nurse with big boobs etc.children will not be amused by this.it is a tragic story.this movie has adventure,romance,comedy,drama,tragedy and above all is well written.it is very emotional.the nurse is over the top obnoxious and people like her should be put to sleep.amazingly,it is alkmost identical to the book.people say its a classic and well,they are right for once.really its almost entirely funny until the end parts.jack nicholson did his finest work ever in this story.

Jack Nicholson's Crowning Achievement!
What a brilliant actor Jack is. He played four of the most memorable screen characters of all time. Randall McMurphy (this film), Melvin Udall (As Good As It Gets), Jack Torrence (The Shining), and The Joker (Batman). Just saw this film last night for the first time and was blown away. I will be buying this Special Edition real soon. The evil head nurse wasn't as mean as I thought she would be, but man is she well-acted. Everyone should see this film, it's that good! ... Read more