Reviews (351)

The Best 2002 Thriller So Far
Many people asked when the first buzz about "Panic Room" came out, "how good can a movie be about two people stuck in a room?" well, those people didn't know the magic of director David Fincher and the true acting ability of Jodie Foster. "Panic Room" is so far the best thriller of 2002.

Meg (Foster), divorced from her husband, and her daughter Sarah (Kristen Stewart) Altman move into a spacious three floor on the West side of New York. The house is too good to be true - huge rooms, an elevator, and a room that is hidden, a panic room. A panic room has a huge steel door which is inpenetrable and is sensored, an entire security camera system to view, seperate phone line, and steel and concrete surrounding the entire area. This looks like a dream come true for the Altman's - until the first night.

Three robbers enter: the family man Burnham (Forest Whitaker), the "boss" and talker Junior (Jared Leto) and the stranger Raoul (Dwight Yoakam). They come looking for one thing: money. Money that the previous owner had kept away. Junior says that they're each going to get a million dollars. The one thing the trio does not expect is that there are actual people in the house. Here's where the suspense begins. Howard Shore's score kicks into full effect as Foster and Stewart run to the panic room.

This movie is too good to reveal what happens, but it all revolves around the money being in the panic room itself. With such plot twists as Sarah (Stewart) being diabetic and Meg (Foster) being claustraphobic, along with many others, this one kept me at the edge of my seat. David Fincher is one of the most under-rated directors of the period, and Jodie Foster completely pulls out the role as mother/fighter/schemer to a T, and does us all in. A must see and a definate buy on DVD!

BEST THRILLER IN YEARS!!!
There is more psychological suspense in this thriller than even Hannibal could contribute. Jodie Foster plays Meg Altman, a recently divorced woman searching for a home in a wealthier area of Manhattan. She and daughter Sarah decide on a beautiful multi-level apartment that seems to have a rather unusual lay-out. The seriously intellectual Meg quickly notices that there seems to be square footage missing from the home. One room seems smaller than it should.

How interesting...Meg is right. Behind a secret wall lies the infamous "Panic Room", designed it seems, to withstand (and I am partially joking here) an atomic bomb explosion. The Room is entirely self-sufficient, able to operate and sustain life independently from the outside world. Everything needed to survive is packaged neatly behind the heavy steel doors (think War Games). In fact, the presence of the panic room is so omnious and claustrophobic, it becomes an acting character itself.

How lucky then, are Sarah and mother Meg when a group of burglers, headed by Burnham, (Whitaker)...break into the home in search of a cache of money supposedly hidden in the panic room. And how unlucky are the two women when it comes to our realisation that Burnham used to be a designer and architect of "panic rooms" himself. He is confident that he can break into the room, using his knowledge of a panic room's inherent design.

The real game becomes a slow evolution from -Can they escape?- and -Will they get in?-, cat and mouse style, to who is most strategic. Burnham may seem to have the upper hand, but Meg is quick-witted and familiar with her own home. She plays her cards well and it is exciting to see her instinctual skills come to life.

As the trailers of "The Panic Room" now entice you with more and more scenes, take them seriously with their new motto: bring a friend with you to see "The Panic Room", because you will need to hold on to someone. Great advice. I saw this movie alone and "The Panic Room" nearly gave me a panic attack!

Five stars for edge-of-your-seat action, suspense, fantasic performances, and the last minute additon of Jodie Foster to play Meg. I really don't think Nicole Kidman has the muscle or strength to pull of the physical requirements of a movie like this (She had to bow out due to an injury). Bravo Jodie on surfacing to the limelight again to make another spectacular film! I believe this is her first film since "The King and I". She proves even a Hollywood Mommy can kick [behind] in a physically demanding role. I am already impatient waiting for her next move in the film world. This movie is fabulous and could be a great date flick...especially since you will feel it necessary to grab hold of someone during the intense scenes. Enjoy. I have no doubt you will.

Excelent Thriller
Drama at it's finest. You'll be close to a heart attack by the end of the movie. A very smart drama. It's very well written. A somewhat original idea for a movie.

A fail considering the talent of Fincher!
Did David Fincher need to demonstrate us he is a promise director and gifted of multiple skills and deep creativity and making us to waste our time and money in a boring film like this one?
May be there was something hidden that I didn't watch ; but I think that the trilogy Forrest Whitaker , Jodie Foster and David Fincher was a safe garantee.
Wrong choice!
The result is just a technically and superb work ; but without a credibble plot ; if the secret intention of Fibcher was to make a homagge to those horror films of the fifties ; then I beg your pardon .
But if not ...

Lame....
Man, this was dissapointing. My feelings can't be described using words. This is definitely one of the most dissapointing movies I've ever seen(and I've seen a lot of crap). Jodie Foster shouldn't waste her talent on such a movie like "Panic Room". ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Jack and Besty are in Vegas with Elvis
When Honeymoon in Vegas begins a man named Jack Singer (Nicolas Cage) is in a New York Hosptial. It's 1987. His mom is not feeling well. And he is visting her in the hospital.

Jack's mom requests that if she dies, that Jack will awalys love her and never get married. She does die and Jack screams at her body that he promises never to get married.

Then 4 years later a man (Robert Costanzo) is in Jack's office. The man's wife is cheating on him. Jack has a girlfriend named Besty (Sarah Jessica Parker) wants to take the next step to marriage. So he pops the question and takes her to Las Vegas.

There, a gambler named Tommy Korman (James Caan) has returned to Las Vegas and invites Jack to a poker game. There is an Elvis impersonator aslo in the game. Jack loses big to Tommy and owes him $65,000.

But Tommy will erase the money if Besty will spend the weekend with him. Jack agrees and Tommy takes her to Hawaii. Tommy's wife is dead. Tommy's son (John McMahon) is aslo going to be there.

When Jack finds out where Besty is. He checks out of his hotel and goes back to New York. He sees on a news report Tommy and Besty on his tv. If your are a big Elvis Presley fan, and wants to see 3,000 Miles to Graceland. Stay home and watch this or Finding Graceland or both.

There are Elvis Presley impersonators. From Bruno Hernandez to Rick Marino. And there is even a black Elvis Preseley impersonator (Clearance Giddens). Maybe 3,000 Miles To Graceland is half bad as people say it is. There are aslo flying Elvises that sky dive. This is a great film for Elvis Presley fans.

A Hilarious Lesson In Love And Marriage.
The wonderfully talented and versatile Nicholas Cage turns in a great comic performance in this Andrew Bergman comedy adventure. .............. Cage plays Jack Singer, a commitmentphobic private investigator who loves longtime galpal schoolteacher Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) but, "Just hasn't gotten around to marrying her." ............... Like most women who have been waiting on their love a bit too long for the comfort of the commit and not getting past the girlfriend status to wife, Betsy delivers the ultimatum, marriage orgoodbye. .............. Jack, not wanting to lose Betsy, decides they'll finally get married in Vegas. Unfortunately, Jack is diverted from his plans by Tommy Korman, smarmily played by the great veteran talent James Caan. Korman is a "Garment district" guy, and major player on the Vegas gambling circuit. He decides to invite Jack to a "complimentary" poker game after spying Betsy in the hotel lobby, and deciding she will be the look alike replacement for his deceased wife. ............ From there, lot's of laughs, mayhem, twists, trips and a competition between Cage and Caan's characters that lead to a "Flying Elvis's" declaration of love that will ultimately see to it that the best man wins. .............. No matter how many times I view this movie, it always remains a fresh and fun adventure that leaves me with a smile on my face. The three leads are terrific, and there are plenty of funny cameos along the way as well. Peter Boyle as "Chief Orman" a burnt-out Indian wanna-be, is truly hilarious. Pat Morita, Ben Stein, and more amusing familiar faces appear as well. ................ This is one of my all time favorite comedies, and one that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for a "feel good" first rate comedy film experience.

Brilliantly Three Starred
I was shocked and appalled by the amazingness of the neutrality in which I viewed this video. I could find nothing wrong or funny with it. It was completely and utterly even. I think, that this in and of itself, should deserve an award. Never have I seen such unbiased representation of life.

Cliche
The villain said one phrase that I hadn't predicted. The whole rest of the movie I had top to bottom. I even guessed the cloths the heroine was going to be wearing in the final scene.

A couple goes to Vegas to get married; the guy gets in debt; the villain clears the debt on condition he can be with the guy's fiancee for a weekend. Of course, the villain claims nothing romantic; and of course, he starts romancing her the moment their out of sight; then of course, she falls for him; then of course, she falls back for the hero; and the end is happy.

If you want that. I'll say this: for what they had to work with, the story was rather charming.

Great Comedy
This is one of my favorite Nicholas Cage films. This movie was perfect for his style of humor. I can and have watched this film at least 35 times :-) ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you have the slightest interest in the phenomenon called Rudolph Valentino, this terrific disc is absolutely the place to start. The screen's great male sex god of the 1920s had a mammoth success with The Sheik, a slice of desert romance both exciting and completely absurd. Valentino plays a dashing "sheik of Araby" who rather forcefully romances an adventure-minded English lady (Agnes Ayres); if the story creaks with Victorian storytelling conventions, it also works. Five years later Valentino returned to the sands with his final film, The Son of the Sheik, playing both his original role and the sheik's impetuous boy. More madness here, and a wild saber duel on horseback at night reminds us they don't make movies like this any more. Valentino's faux-exotic allure may seem curious to modern viewers, but squint hard and you can imagine the frenzy caused by the sultry eyes and rapacious grin. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I LOVE Valentino! Sheik lover here!
I've always been "in love" with the "older" male movie stars, those who are no longer around. I am twenty-seven years old but I love such actors as Tyrone Powers, Clark Gable, Laurence Olivier, to name a few.Now added to my favorite men is Rudolph Valentino! I've heard of him and how he was a sex symbol of his time, the silent film era. Curious, I bought this DVD, "The Sheik/The Son of the Sheik" At first I thought the story corny, and the music was more like elevator music. I really thought I couldn't go through with a silent film. Then...BOOM! I see Rudolph Valentino, his eyes, his face....I got shivers watching him. I didn't need to hear his voice, although I wish I could! He is sooooo sexy and soooo...I don't know what to call it, I guess he's just got "IT"! Sex appeal?
The rest of the characters were all a blur to me. Valentino's looks and expressions did not need words! His eyes "speak". Those bedroom eyes!
In both movies, he is your typical alpha male. He kind of reminded me of Yul Brynner (who by the way, is another babe!)in "The King of Siam".
As for the quality of the movie, I'd say it's pretty darn good! I think they did a good job for an "old" movie. It's not how a movie looks "now" to us, but just keep in mind that it's a 1921 movie.

here's your chance to see what all the fuss was about
Rudolph Valentino made only five films, but he was idolized by millions of women the world over. Here in a fun double-bill, are The Shiek, which made him a household word, and his last film The Son of the Sheik. Each revolves around a romance between a beautiful young girl and Valentino's sultry man of the desert. There are lovely shots of horses running across the sands, delicious eyebrow raises from the sheik, and such memorable reader cards as: "The night was young at the Cafe Maure. Not a knife had been thrown---so far."

The prints are very nice, though The Sheik is heavily tinted and runs 86 minutes instead of the 80 minutes it should. The music tracks are alright, using a small orchestra, with an alternative updated track available for the second film; I was disappointed because I had seen The Sheik on television several years ago and the accompanying synthesizer track was remarkably beautiful -- but that is not on this disc.

Three shorts are included: "Rudolph Valentino and His 88 American Beauties", in which the star judges a beauty contest (1923, 13 minutes); "The Sheik's Physique", in which the star takes a nap in his swimsuit (not dated, 3 minutes); and the Pathe News coverage of Valentino's funeral (1926, 4 minutes).

If you are interested in silent films or in Valentino, this is a terrific package.

Rating the movie-NOT THE DVD QUALITY
I am so glad that I bought this movie on the basis of reading other reviews. To watch Valentino for the first time is quite impressive. Most people would not think of watching a silent movie and I was one of them until now. With his facial expressions, he does not need to talk. Since viewing this, I have ordered all the rest of them, Do yourself a favor and watch at least the son of the sheik which is the better of the two. And now on to the DVD Quality. It stinks. I don't know where everyone says it a great transfer. A great transfer would look like the latest Criterion --Beauty and the Beast. Anyone with a big screen digital tv watching this will think any reviewer that says the dvd quality is good has a screw loose. It needs to be restored one frame at a time. But that would require a company willing to spend a lot of money and a long time to do. We can only hope---------

No One Does It Better
There is absolutely no one past or present who does to women on screen what Rudolph Valentino does. He is the ultimate lover. Just watch his hands. Gentlemen of today! Take lessons! This DVD is a very high quality restoration with a beautiful musical score. Although the charismatic Valentino dominates every scene in which he appears, I also enjoyed performances by Agnes Ayres and the beautiful Vilma Banky (She was called the Hungarian Rhapsody for good reason!). Beautiful costumes and sets make for magical viewing of times gone by.

Ahmed, I love you!!
My goodness - How I wish I'd been around in 1920's Hollywood!! - This is a wonderful look back at Rudolph Valentino's two Sheik movies (the second in which he plays his former self, as well as his own son - check out the funny splicing effects!!) - as well as extras of his 88 beauties pageant tour, "The Sheiks Physique" (Rowr!!), and sadly, an account of his funeral. It's been 80 years, and still there is as yet no one who has risen to the ranks of Rudolph Valentino. He is as unique today as he was in the 1920's - and equally alluring. This is a must-have DVD for silent film fans, Valentino fans, and anyone interested in seeing beauty personified!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Billy Bob Thornton wrote, directed, and starred in this mesmerizing drama with haunting overtones of To Kill a Mockingbird. Thornton plays a mentally retarded man who has spent 20 years in a psychiatric hospital for killing his mother and her lover. Released into the community from which he came, he befriends and protects a lonely boy regularly harassed and abused by his mom's boyfriend (a terrific performance by Dwight Yoakam). The story is ultimately about sacrifice, but Thornton certainly doesn't get twinkly about it. Some of the best material concerns the hero's no-big-deal efforts to integrate into a "normal" life: working, eating fast food, earning admiration for his handyman skills, and attaining a semblance of community among other damaged souls. John Ritter has a great part as a gay shopkeeper who tries to assuage his own loneliness by spilling his guts out to Thornton's uncomprehending character. The DVD release presents the film in its original 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (154)

All Right Then
If you are expecting a slow southern drama about a small-town misfit who is released from an asylum and trying to fit in again, then Sling Blade is a "must see" movie.Released by Miramax in 1996 and wrote, directed and starred by Billy Bob Thornton, this fictional drama is set in Arkansas , where a mildly retarded man named Karl Childers played by Thornton is about to be released after 25 years from an asylum for the criminally insane.This movie has a very slow pace which is in comparison to how Thornton is portraying Karl.Thornton receives an "Academy Award winner for Best Adapted Screen Play and for Best Actor in 1996" in this breath taking performance as Karl Childers.

Karl, played by Thornton, was imprisoned for a youthful act of terrible vengeance. Stumbling upon his mother naked on the floor with one of the towns men on top of her, and believing that she was being raped, he killed the man with a few thrashings of a sling blade. After killing the man and looking at his mother he realized that the man was her lover and Karl, filled with red rage, killed his mother as well.Now 25 years later he returns to the community where he stumbles upon a young boy named Frank Wheatley (Lucas Black) who has lost his father and likes to listen to Karl's rasp voice andhis "all right then" phrases that he makes. With both Karl and Frank feeling like outcast they are drawn together and become good friends, and before long Karl moves in with Frank and his mother, Linda (Natalie Canerday), and finds a job fixing lawnmowers.Not to long after Karl moving in with the Wheatley home, he realized that Linda's boyfriend, Doyle (Dwight Yoakam), abuses both her and Frank.Doyle is always putting Frank down for being different and calls Karl a "humped-over retard", between each of the drinks of beer he swigs down.You also learn about Linda's friend and protector, a gay grocery store manager (John Ritter) whose self appointed goal is to protect the Wheatley family from Doyle's drunken outrages, and to keep his gay life in the closet in this small southern town.

In addition to figures such as Jim Jarmusch showing up in a cameo as a Tastee Cream counter clerk and J.T. Walsh captive role, musicians such as Vic Chesnutt and Ian Moore make appearances as members of Doyle's terrible backyard band. I give this movie 4 stars even though it could be argued that Sling Blade could be taken under the cutting board, but it does not take away from the great performance of the movie which runs approximately 1 hour 34 minutes.

Neglect and ignorance breeds violence

The film Sling Blade was written, directed, and starred Billy Bob Thornton as a mentally retarded man who was neglected and teased as a child.Most of Karl Childers (Billy Bob Thornton) childhood was one of torment at the hands of cruel school children, and neglect from ignorant parents.Karl thinks his mother is being raped and kills her assailant, only to find that his beloved mother was a willing participant in the encounter.He becomes enraged and strikes her down with a sling blade.Karl spends the next two decades in a state institution for the criminally insane.He has been a model patient, and is eventually deemed fit for release back into society.Only his body has grown during his incarceration, while his mind has remained that of a child.His first encounter outside of the hospital is with a young boy Frank (Lucas Black) and his mother Linda (Natalie Canerday), who take him into their home and treat him with dignity and kindness.Karl instantly loves his new family, but his happiness is quickly extinguished when Doyle (Dwight Yoakam) enters Karl's life.Doyle is a violent alcoholic redneck who destroys any hope for Carl, Frank and Linda to have any sort of happiness.These are the main players in this tragic story, but (John Ritter) Vaughn Cunningham plays a supporting role as Linda's homosexual boss and close friend.We also catch a glimpse of Karl's father Frank Childers (Robert Duval) in a small, mostly insignificant role as well.The movie starts out slow and really never speeds up as it progresses.I think that the movie would not work any other way than being slowly told since the main character is slow as well.Sling Blade ends as it begins, with tragic consequences for everyone involved, and leaves me wondering why people are so cruel to others who are different.I would definitely recommend the movie.I enjoyed the movie and I found it worth the time I invested in watching it.The characters were well developed, and I was able to become emotionally attached to Karl's character as well as Frank, his mother, and Vaughan while they tried in vain to coexist with Doyle and his abusive ways.

Good guys finish last?
Billy Bob Thornton wrote, directed, and starred in this slow moving drama with scary similarities to the movie To Kill a Mockingbird. Thornton plays Karl, a mentally retarded man who has spent 20 years in a psychiatric hospital for killing his mother and her lover with a sling blade (Thus the name of the movie). Released into the community from which he came, he befriends and protects a lonely boy regularly harassed and abused by his mom's boyfriend Doyle (Dwight Yoakam). The story is ultimately about sacrifice; Karl is forced to make a choice between what he feels in his heart, and what he feels is biblically wrong. Some of the best material involves Karl's no-big-deal efforts to integrate into a "normal" life: working, eating fast food (mostly French fries), earning admiration for his handyman skills, and attaining a semblance of community among other damaged souls. John Ritter has a great part as a gay shopkeeper who tries to alleviate his own loneliness by spilling his guts out to Thornton's uncomprehending character. There is also a meaningless scene where Karl confronts his father (Robert Duvall, who is a great actor that must have needed a quick paycheck, as he really played a very insignificant role).

After watching the film, I must admit I felt a little ambivalent about Karl's final decision. Without giving away the ending, I felt that Karl was forced to make a decision because Frank's (Lucas Black) mother refused to make one. She is involved in an abusive relationship and keeps both her and her son's life in peril because she doesn't want to be lonely. The plot is so similar to other movies I've seen, that I knew what the ending was going to be from the beginning.

I thought the movie was worth renting, but didn't like it well enough to add it to my movie collection.

Slow On Purpose
Billy Bob Thornton does an excellent job writing, directing and starring in this movie.You will not even recognize him as he becomes a retarded southerner, (Carl Childers), just getting out of the State correctional facility.The way that Thornton explains the childhood of Carl in the beginning of the movie gives the audience a good picture of what he has been through.He befriends a young boy (JT Walsh) who like himself has struggled through a troublesome childhood.When Carl gets out of the State Hospital he is introduced into another dysfunctional family.The boy whom he had befriended invites him to stay with his family so that he does not feel nervous all of the time. The new family consists of the boy's widowed mother, her best friend also her boss who is played by John Ritter and her new boyfriend, Doyle (Dwight Yokam) who is a very mean construction worker.Yokam and Ritter also do excellent jobs in their roles.Yokam plays the part of an unstable single alcoholic whom is destined to abuse everyone he is associated with.Ritter is a local grocery store manager who is trying to hide the fact that he is a homosexual.Toward the end of the movie you can predict what is going to happen by the turn of events that take place. Carl gets Baptized and then things around the household start to get out of control.He goes to all of the people who have been straight with him and asked them of favors.What happens next is quite predictable but the manner in which it takes place is out of the ordinary.This movie is not a very fast paced movie and there are many slow spots.The reasoning behind this is the main character is also very slow and he is setting the pace.I would rate this movie a four out of five and would watch it again due to its incredible acting and excellent screenplay.

Thornton makes a brilliant "debut"
When I first saw Sling Blade back in 1996, I was immensely moved by Thornton's portrayal of a mentally retarded man trying to assimilate into the world from which he was cast years ago for killing his mother and her lover. It was, to me, a perfect movie from beginning to end. The movement was precise; all of the situations (unfortunately) highly believable, and the acting, from Thornton to John Ritter to Lucas Black was terrific. Lucas Black, incidentally, seems to be making the transition from child star to adult actor quite well. So many "cute kids" that can act like "cute kids" grow into ungainly adults who can't act like adults. He's breaking that mold, and perhaps it's because he was never under the intense scrutiny that others like Macaulay Culkin were.

Anyway, I'm digressing in a huge way.

Having seen this recently on cable, I was surprised at how strongly certain images remained from my first viewing. Frank (Lucas Black) tossing huge bags of laundry out of the Laundromat, the cot that Karl (Thornton) slept on, originally, in the back of the garage he worked at, the horrible scene where Doyle (played to oily perfection by Dwight Yoakam) flew into a drunken rage and shoved Linda (Frank's mom, Natalie Canerday), whereupon Frank viciously attacked Doyle by throwing everything he could get his hands on at him. That was such a brilliant and moving scene. As was the scene where Karl grabbed Doyle's hand and said something like, "Don't you lay a hand on that boy".

However, while watching it, I realized that I had missed a rather major plot line, the entire reason that Karl and Frank bonded the way the way they did. I'm chalking it up to being nine years dumber than I am today, but that's just a convenient excuse. I missed it, and, uh, all I can say about that is "duh!".

What I missed is rather simple, and may come as no surprise to anyone reading this. Karl, under direction from his parents, drowned his younger brother and buried him alive. Retarded and young as he was, he didn't have a complete grasp on the situation, but over the years, he came to realize that what he did was wrong. On Frank's end, his father killed himself. Rather simple here. Karl found the little brother he wanted as well as his perceptive abilities could grasp, and Frank found the father he desperately missed and needed. Without that core, the movie really lacks coherency. So for me to have missed that and still enjoyed the film immensely - well, like I said earlier, duh. My only complaint about the missing father figure was that John Ritter's character, who was gay, could easily have been a father figure to Frank. Being gay didn't disqualify him. Let's get serious - if being gay disqualifies, even in young Frank's mind, wouldn't a socially inept retarded person be disqualified too? That's a minor problem, though.

Going back to powerful images, anyone who has seen this film is not likely to forget the ending, where Karl calmly goes from place to place, extracting promises from various people so that he and Doyle will be alone later that night. Karl calmly asks Doyle how to reach the police, and once Doyle tells him, Karl calmly stands up, kills him with what I guess is a sling blade (I admit ignorance here), then calls the police, reports a murder, and says that with the second blow he nearly cleaved Doyle's head in two. After reporting the murder, he sits down and finishes eating dinner.

Later, upon being readmitted to the mental institution, we are confronted with the most disgusting of criminals - and I'm not even certain why this particular criminal was institutionalized, unless he had a great lawyer - the child molester. This man is talking to Karl about his "exploits", which are revolting, and asks if Karl had met anyone on the "outside". Karl says he met a boy, and the molester indicates that he doesn't go that way, but was sure that Karl had a good time with him. Karl replies, and I'm paraphrasing liberally, "Don't you never say nothin' `bout that boy. As a matter of fact, I'd appreciate it if you don't say `nothing to me at all."

Retarded, yes. Immoral? That's a more difficult question. The Bible told him that killing was wrong, but obviously he somehow worked out that in certain matters killing was OK (he said to his father that he would kill him where he sat, but he saw that his father was doing a fine job of it himself).

This was the first time I'd seen Billy Bob Thornton, although he'd appeared in and/or written seventeen films prior. Having never seen him, I had no idea how remarkable his acting was. After seeing him in other films, his performance here put Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man to shame.
... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great !
This is a classic Stephen Chow movie and one of the funniest. No doubt he is the king of comedy. He is great in the role of the hapless but cool guy (just watch the castration scene...). He is really skillful and has a vast range of expressions (well, I think you can compare him to Jim Carrey... in some ways but not in total). Though the movie has lots of sexual spoof, I think is not insulting; I read that Cantonese comicality is difficult to understand to foreign... well, I don't find it so different from the Italian one!

Some unavoidable presences in the movie: Ng Man Tat (Hoi Tai Fu) that is (I think) in 90% of SC's movies (and this is good, they are GREAT together) - Chingmy Yau (Princess Kim Ning) - Sandra Ng Kwan Yue (Sister Bond) - Man Cheung (Empress Dowanger/Lone-er).

And remember: always watch a SC's movie in the ORIGINAL language or you'll miss the best...

A parody that is a lot better than most Hong Kong films
Visually stunning parody of Hong Kong swordplay epics. Stephen Chow is a smart aleck, fast-thinking lowlife named Wilson Bond (really) who gets caught up in an incredibly tangled court intrigue. Bond starts out working for Chan (Damian Lau), Master of the Heaven & Earth Society and then he ends up on the side of Chan's target, Prince Ning (Siu-Lun Wan). Basically, in the great tradition of "Yojimbo" and "A Fistful of Dollars," Bond swears loyalty to whoever is threatening him at the moment and ends up playing everyone against everyone else while trying to figure out how to save his neck. This parody is more fun than a lot of the "serious" movies it is taking on. The DVD is letterboxed, which is great, but the English subtitles to the Mandarian language washes out from time to time. Then again, the dialogue in this 1991 film directed by Wong Jing is not exactly the strong set of "Royal Tramp." The fun continues in "Royal Tramp II" so be sure you watch both parts or you will be missing half the fun.

Stephen Chow's Best - don't forget the sequel, or the book!
This was one of the first DVDs I bought for my collection after getting a DVD player. The plot is engaging and extermely well-written, and the brilliant physical comic performances of Stephen Chow and Ng Man Tat work wonderfully even for someone like myself who needs the subtitles to follow the story.

Be aware, though, that "Royal Tramp" and "Royal Tramp 2" are a single story split into two parts, rather than just a movie and its sequel. Be sure to get both.

Also, this movie is based in the only story by Louis Cha that is currently available in translation. The title of the book is usually translated as "The Duke of Deer Mountain", but the English translation (in 3 volumes) is called "The Deer and the Cauldron", Volumes 1 (ASIN 0195903234) and 2 (ASIN 0195903250) have just recently been reprinted, and Volume 3 (ASIN 0195903277) is due out in September 2001.

Great fun!
An extremely funny rendition of the Duke of Mount Deer story. Stephen Chow is just hilarious! I got this DVD because it's classic.

Royal fun
This movie was loose based upon the 80'HK tv series starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung. This is probably Chow Sing Chi best movie. I've seen some of his film's including the sequel. But this one is better. Royal Tramp is about Wai Siew Po, a nobody who tell stories in a whorehouse where his sister works. He becomes a member of the royal staff and is appointed to Hoi Kong Kong, while he still remains a rebel against the Chings. The story is redecules, but that's what we aspect from a Chow Sing Chi movie. The action is marvelous, with lots of wire works. The kung fu is absolutely fantastic. My favorite is the Fa Kwat Yu Mien Teung. Which means as much as "bone-melting-palm". ... Read more

Amazon.com

While its particulars remain rooted in the sexual revolution of the late 1960s, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice is remarkably timeless as a classic comedy of manners. Making an impressive, high-profile directorial debut after success as a screenwriter, Paul Mazursky took the pulse of California society better than anyone, especially with this well-cast, sharply observant comedy that begins when sophisticated couple Bob and Carol (Robert Culp, Natalie Wood) attend a weekend retreat that opens their eyes to the possibilities of open marriage and mutual acceptance of extramarital affairs. When they reveal their newfound liberties to straightlaced couple Ted and Alice (Elliott Gould, Dyan Cannon), the subtle, behavioral richness of the largely improvisational screenplay (by Mazursky and Larry Tucker) rises to the surface, conveyed through the kind of natural rhythms and pauses that were dramatically in vogue in the fast-changing Hollywood of 1969. The film hasn't lost any of its punch, perhaps because American sexual politics have returned to the conservatism that existed before Bob and Carol emerged as the signature comedy of the swinging sixties. The absence of the late Natalie Wood is the only drawback to the DVD's excellent commentary, which reunites Mazursky, Culp, Gould, and Cannon in a casual atmosphere of humorous reminiscence. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Contemporary Psychobabble Dates Badly
BOB AND CAROL AND TED AND ALICE starts off as if a stoned hippie with an 8mm cam began to film cinema verite and did not wish to infringe on the rights of an equally stoned cast to get the scene right in the first take. Somewhere in this turgid bloated mess of a psychodrama are some unpleasant truths about the way married couples confront personal and sexual disconnections, but this relevant set of subtexts is hidden under an annoying coating of a 60s mentality of free love, beads, primal scream therapy, and groupsex, all of which date what otherwise have been some eternal truisms.

Robert Culp is Bob, a 40 something successful businessman who is less a fully-fleshed individual than a stereotyped hippie weekend wannabe who wants the freedom to have affairs but is unwilling to give his wife Carol (Natalie Wood) the same right. Bob is not just a man in search of himself. He comes across as an annoying pest who likes to think of himself as a new age guru who believes that he personifies the adage of Do Your Own Thing. Naturally, anyone who dares to show conventional middle class moral objections to his philandering is dismissed as a fuddy duddy out of touch with his own feelings. Carol is even less of a believable person as she skates through life with her feet barely touching the moral ground of life. Director Paul Mazursky allows the viewer to get an idea of how and why Bob and Carol think and act. At the start of the film, they attend a group interaction session led by a therapist who exhorts his patients to engage in some questionable methods: they scream, beat pillows, gawk about the room, and stare into one another's eyes as if to connect on a visual level.

Ted (Eliot Gould) and Alice (Dyan Cannon) are more open with their vulnerabilities, and hence engage us more. Both are disgusted at first with the open fooling around of Bob and Carol. Ted wants more frequent sex with Alice but does not know how to handle her rejection of him. Despite his geekiness, Ted comes across as a reasonably moral man whose own limits are soon to be tested first by a wife whose burgeoning sexuality snaps to attention then later by his own crumbling wall of marital fidelity.

The second half of the film is more interesting than that of the first. The cloying irritability that dominates the first half is replaced by several humorous, yet revealing vignettes that culminate with all four in bed and not knowing or daring what to do. The hesitant expressions on their faces suggest that morality is not a blanket to be donned or doffed at will. BOB AND CAROL AND TED AND ALICE is a potent, if misguided moral fairy tale that warns us that the freedom to be superficially open may in fact be nothing more than a license to hide behind that blanket of openness.

Amusing and Intriguing
Certainly a movie that has publicized the sexual revolution of the sixties and seventies. Very interesting how Bob and Carol's carefree attitude about sex eventually loosens up Ted and Alice's more conservative ways.

Its interesting how Bob and Carol test their relationship with their affairs. Amusing how Carol is quicker to be more accepting of their individual affairs than Bob. Ted and Alice at first are appalled by each of their infidelities. However when they hear the reasons behind their actions, they lighten up their approaches. Bob and Carol truly love each other where their affairs are merely for recreational purposes.

Those who are intrigued by psychology or the free love generation of the late sixties will be specially interested in this video.

A Hip Sendup of the Sexual Revolution
"Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" is an insightful film about the sexual revolution.

It deals with two couples -- one older and into "experimentation" (Bob & Carol), and the other younger and more square (Ted & Alice).

In a sense, the sexual experimentation of Bob and Carol epitomized the 60's ethos of (perhaps pathological) self-reflection and the idea that "if it feels good, do it." (We're still feeling the reverberations of that.)

But the ending of this enjoyably funny movie also indicates that most people can only go so far. Whether its cultural conditioning or innate, there are certain lines that most people simply cannot cross....

The movie does not pass judgment, but ultimately, there is a message there.

All the actors are good, but Elliot Gould and Dyan Cannon especially so. (They were both nominated for supporting Oscars.) Dyan Cannon is wonderful -- she's the best thing about the movie.

sexual revolution
I watched this movie on local television in the UK a couple of weeks ago, turning it on a half hour or so into it.

Once I got past the shallow critique of hair styles and clothing I was able to consider what was happening socially in the US during the late 60s when this movie was conceived/filmed.

I was only 3 when the movie was released but I imagine it was significant for adults at that time. Society was much more open/liberal re: sexuality and the challenging of stereotypes, such as the long-standing double standards afforded to men.

My '4 star' review may be slightly high, but what motivates me to do so has more to do with the subject this movie takes on, its willingness to challenge the status quo and collective consciousness of the public at that time, as well as the honesty in which it's delivered.

The final scene is hardly climactic compared with the latest Bond film but, like much of the film, there's an authentic message there.

Ill-conceived
"Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice" is widely applauded as a breakthrough film, but lets cut through the hype. First what Leonard Maltin calls "ultrasophisticated" is more an exposure of his own dimwittedness than a film commentary. 2 couples seek enlightenment and think they found the key: just have an affair and tell your partner about it...is that really the extent to which enlightenment was explored in the '60s? Such is the main flaw; 2 couples are sincere about transcending middle class limitation, but group encounter sessions do not "insight" make.

Robert Culp and Natalie Wood play the couple who think affair+honesty=enlightenment. As Horst observes, Culp is one hellofaguy. I wish Natalie Wood's husband would let me have her...I'd think he was a nice guy too. What would have made this film good is if at the end they decided to go to India and seek true enlightenment.

On the bright side we have '60s fashions and good Bacharach music...and the beautiful Natalie Wood. The final scene "Love Sweet Love" is an interesting ending to an otherwise disappointing film. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

A believeable tale only possible outside of Hollywood
This movie was a rare treat to have seen on the big screen. It showcases Oliver Martinez (Angelo Pardi) and Julliette Binoche (Pauline de Theus) in this engaging tale of romance in the cholera epidemic of 1832.

Rather then get into the specifics of the plot which can be seen in the myriad of other reviews, I want to stress how this movie was only made possible due to the supreme casting by Director Jean-Paul Rappeneau and Producer Rene Cleitman. The choice of Mr. Martinez brought this movie to life. Befroe his death in 1970 Giono said that in the belief of Neo-Realism that the actor be a commoner. While not at that level, Martinez portrays an air that other well known actors are unable to feign.

In addition, Julliette Binoche is able to work with him to the point where we are able to actually see Martinez grow throughout the film. All in all a fantastic watch and the upcoming release on DVD will hopefully bring a few more fans of Rappeneau into the mix.

It's lack of love scenes was not a minus
This movie is, first of all, something I don't think could ever be made in America. Why? Because America would want more action and more romance and more of everything that this movie has and "fails to deliver".
I've seen some French movies that were poor and this one doesn't fall into that category. Part of what I liked about this movie was it's simplicity and it's honor. Yes, Olivier Martinez does come across as superhuman as everyone around him succumbs to cholera and he wanders unscatched from every death scene, but it made me keep watching, just to see who this man was and where he came from and what he was supposed to be doing.
I liked the fact that the movie portrayed Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez's infatuation in such a simple, uncomplicated way. I liked the ending of the movie and how they kept everything open. It was nice to see people on the silver screen facing "real life rejection" as well, which is something few American films fail to portray, if the candy coated glossed over version of the powerful psychological film "Abre Los Ojos" is any example. Tom, I'm willing to just pretend that didn't happen.
Anyway, you should watch this film, if only to sit there and grind your teeth and be frustrated over it. At least you are grinding your teeth over something.

Very beautiful
This is one of my favorite foreign movies. I won't reveal anything about the plot, I'll leave it to you. I will say that some parts are slightly predictable though.

The acting is superb. I've always loved Juliette Binoche (Chocolat, The English Patient American movies) and I met Oliver Martnez through this movie. Both portray their roles amazingly and delicately, adding something great to a slightly dull script.

The scenery is absolutely stunning, enough said. This is well worth seeing, if you don't mind subtitles. (I don't at all ^^)

Good Old Fashioned Adventure--a la Francaise
Olivier Martinez has been called the French Brad Pitt. How about Juliette Binoche as the French Julia Roberts. Or is that not saying enough in either case?

Well, whatever your opinions of the actors in general, they are perfectly cast in this corker of a romantic adventure. Perfect chemistry between the two stars adds to what already a good, old fashioned high spirited adventure film. They don't make 'em like this anymore--either in this country or in France.

In fact, when you think of current French cinema, you tend to come up with charming, but self-consciously post-modern works like AMELIE or L'AUBERGE ESPAGNOLE. That kind of nod-and-a-wink filmmaking has its place, and I have nothing but affection for those films, but there's something about good old school stroytelling that can be utterly enthralling. You're actually allowed to get caught up in the tale and to forget that you're in a cinema (or your living room) watching images on film (or videotape or DVD or whatever). What a concept!

I am unfamiliar with most of director Rappeneau's work--although I have heard good things about his version of CYRANO and the celebrated ZAZIE DANS LE METRO. He certainly has a flair for historical romance, so I am now eager to see his treatment of the Edmond de Rostand classic. Or almost anything else he's done for that matter. He appears to have a great visual sense (or knows enough to seek out cinematographers who do). It's hard to think of a more beautifully shot film.

Like most films, HORSEMAN ON THE ROOF is not for everyone. But for lovers of foreign films in general--and of real romantic adventure in particular--this film delivers the goods.

Horseman could have been a contender
Horseman on the Roof is a beautifully filmed movie. The acting is good; the script, not so good; the choleric, two-minute transformations from healthy to "Dawn of the Dead" puplesque, ridiculous. The plot is rather predictable and mundane. I'm a big fan of foreign films, including the French ones. Overall, this one disappointingly misses the mark. There are, however, several action scenes that are quite good and the cinematography is outstanding. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

EXCELLENT Film / DVD Good (Better than Video)
This is an outstanding movie for many reasons. For cinema fans only familiar with the "rat pack", this Frankie may be an eye opener. YOUNG AT HEART (1954) is a showcase for Frank Sinatra's excellent acting. He is intense, focused & nuanced, becoming one with "Barney Sloan," a gifted musician suffering through multiple "bad breaks" since birth & sorely lacking confidence.

Doris Day also brings much to this classic with a very moving performance. She is warm, lovely & upbeat as the woman of Sinatra's dreams, & so expressive in her eyes! The chemistry between these two actors grows with their characters' relationship; they share a number of memorable scenes together. They are surrounded by a very good supporting cast, especially Gig Young & Ethel Barrymore.

This is a romantic drama with superb singing. Doris & Frank's duet together is "You, My Love", which is a personal favorite. Ms. Day delivers several 50's pop songs beautifully. Frank makes his impact here as the saloon singer, with brilliant, moving renditions of "Someone to Watch Over Me," "One for My Baby," & "Just One of Those Things."

Initially, this film is light-hearted & glossy - until Barney Sloan arrives. There are multiple issues that his character brings to the surface such as: "destiny" & the strength of the human will, the pain of loneliness, the power of hope, life-changing experiences, & recognizing "love".

It's worth noting that the forty-eight year old YOUNG AT HEART was actually a re-make of a 1938 mega-hit "Four Daughters", & carries over some of its plot contrivances. . Don't let this bog you down. This little gem rises above it.

In my opinion, the DVD is a visual improvement over the fuzzy video. Having both the Video / 40th anniversary edition & now the DVD, I've watched each, sometimes scene by scene, to compare, both on the same television. This video has the same small scratches, circles / spots that can be viewed on the DVD; note the gingerbread scene in the kitchen. The DVD's Major Plus: visual details, such as skin & facial features, are improved: Doris' cute freckles are back; thankfully, the character "Amy" no longer has a blackened tooth when she is tying Gig Young' s tie (as seen in Video); and Frank's face shows some scars in close ups, a realistic touch for his character. Actually, the DVD's visuals, preceeding the film, are quite beautiful! The DVD is reasonably priced, although I would have been willing to pay a little more for some extras, such as behind the scenes photos... Now if the film preservationists could help restore the original negative of this classic movie, that would be wonderful. YOUNG AT HEART deserves it -- How about it , AMC? .

TOTALLY ROMANTIC AND GREAT MUSIC
Sinatra's portrayal of Barney Sloane (who is one of my all-time favorite characters in movies) is what really MAKES this film great. It's gritty, his acting is seamless - this film has some of his best acting ever. In fact, there IS no Frank Sinatra in this film, only Barney Sloane - I was totally engrossed in the character and he made me forget he was Frank Sinatra - now THAT's acting! Also, Doris Day is at her absolute best in this film. The chemistry between her and Frank is so much more exciting to watch than her work with Rock Hudson, who is like cardboard compared to Doris and Frank together. Great songs from Doris, and an absolutely PERFECT selection of songs by Frank. This film is sad, joyful, but most of all, ROMANTIC. Highly recommended if you want to feel your Heart!

Great Tear Jerker
This movie features Frank Sinatra in a rare very moral dramatic role. He is a sad low person who meets the ever beautiful Doris Day. Well she falls in love with his boss the ever impressive Gig Young. But then one day she finds out that her older sister has a crush on Gig. So she marries Frank. Well their married live is full of hardships and depression. And poverty. But when they have a baby at the end of the movie Franks outlook on life changes and he becomes cheerful once again. Great tearjerker. Catch Frank singing the title song Young At Heart!

Doris Day must choose Gig Young or Frank Sinatra.
Doris Day plays "Laurie", one of three daughters who live with Pop (Robert Keith) and his sister, Aunt Jessie (Ethel Barrymore) who keep the young ladies in line. Fran (Dorothy malone) just got engaged to Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan's Island). Laurie and Amy (Elizabeth Fraser) make a deal to have a double wedding when they finally find the right guys or end up as old maids. Laurie has a new beau, Gig Young. Then Gig Young hires Frank Sinatra, a traveling piano player, to write music for him. Doris meets Frank in the family house and is sweet to him. One day, Gig Young professes his love to Laurie and they decide to get married. However, Amy secretly had feelings for Gig Young and Frank Sinatra had some feelings for Laurie. Frank tells Laurie, "Sometimes when you're on the outside looking in, you see some things other people can't". Things are about to change and not to as orginally planned. If you have not seen this one before, it's a real soap opeara doozy! Great set of a neighborhood and family house.

Never too Young!!
YOUNG AT HEART is a decent melodrama intersped with a couple of musical numbers featuring the musical talents of Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. Doris Day's numbers are light and upbeat and Frank Sinatra plays meloncholy blues (as a 'piano man' at bar dives, i.e "One For my Baby-One More for the Road"). The only time they actually sing together is a duet near the end of the picture but its worth the wait because its a great song and a great performance. However, the dramatic scenes they share are just as good as Day and Sinatra have good onscreen chemistry. Its a shame they only made this one film together because they were good friends professionally off screen as well. Day/Laurie Tuttle is one of three musical prodigy daughters to Gregory Tuttle (Robert Keith -Lt. Brannigan in GUYS AND DOLLS). A songwiter, Alex Burke (Gig Young-THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY?)charms his way into the family home becoming a border to get inspiration to writing a musical. He becomes the object of affection to the three daughters, but is smitten with Laura immediately. However, when he brings in a piano player, Barney Sloan (Sinatra) to help out, Laura falls for his low self-esteemed but talented musician personality. Sinatra gives a very low-key understated performance as the angry (thinks-he-has-no-talent) piano player and Day is as good as always. The rest of the film is a little predictable, but entertaining and engrossing nontheless as love triangle(s) and misunderstandings arise as part of the drama. Gig Young's character and performance as the charming good guy and lovable songwriter is a bright spot in the film but it is slightly overshadowed by magnitude and presence of the two lead performers. All together, a film with a palusible melodrama plot, great songs, and most notable for the one time pairing of Day and Sinatra who have great on screen presence together. Lastly an overlooked performance by Gig Young. Note: Look for Alan Hale, Jr. (The Skipper of Gilligan's Island)in a supporting role and also,the great Ethel Barrymore (Grand aunt of Drew) as Aunt Jessie. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

disappointing film
I was all ready to love this movie. I've been a fan of Shawn Hatosy since his debut role in "In and Out", and I thought he did a great job in the litle-seen "Outside Providence". In fact Shawn does a great job playing the lead in this movie, as 16 year old Brendan Behan, the Irish drinker with a writing problem on whose autobiographical novel this movie is based. Behan cut a wide and boistrous swath through literature and tv talk shows before dying in the 60's at age 41 of alcoholism. The message of this movie, which seems to be that it is better to love than to hate, is far too simplistic, and i'm pretty sure Behan is laughing loudly at it up in the celestial pub. As i said Shawn Hatosy proves once again what a great actor he is, although his character here does have a stutter that comes and goes at odd times. The main problem with the movie is the utter unrealism of it. After being caught smuggling explosives into liverpool from Ireland as an IRA operative, Behan is sent to an English reform school for boys because he is underage. There he encounters numerous movie cliches, including the big game, the seemingly out-of-reach love interest, the escape plot, and the we-all-can see it coming why can't they disaster (a clearly visible landmine on the beach). That last is especially egregious, because first-time director Peter Sheridan puts the scene into almost unending slow motion, complete with soldiers waving the unfortunate and seemingly blind victims away. The best scene is when Behan and his best mate finally kiss. But this is a mainstream movie, so we have to make Behan also fall in love with the headmaster's beautiful daughter, who preposterously mixes unsupervised with the inmates. (She is nowhere to be found in the book, folks.) Shawn Hatosy is the best thing in this movie; he is very believably as a 16-year-old Irish boy. I'm sure he will escape unscathed from this silly movie.

Wonderful movie but a dissappointing DVD package...
"Borstal Boy" is based on the book written by Irish playwriter/novelist Brendan Behan about his experiences in a British reform school (borstal) in 1930's. During this incarceration, as potrayed in the film, we see the young writer transformed from a creature of hate to one who realises that "love is much stronger than hate".

I especially like the use of silent moments that convey more emotions that any line of dialogue. Special mention has to go to the main lead, Shawn Hatosy, who briliantly played his character. His potrayal of Brendan exudes quiet nobility as well as a touch of the rouge in the main protagonist. Definately his best performance so far and an indication of the potential of this young actor.

The DVD package itself is quite simplistic with trailers of other Strand Releasing DVDs in as additional material on the disk. I wished that they would have a subtitle/captioning option as the movie uses a lot of Irish and British accents that are hard to make out sometimes.

The sound quality is a bit on the dissapointing side as this DVD transfer only had mono sound on it. It's very distracting trying to figure out what they are saying especially when they don't have captioning. Good thing that the picture quality is clear and sharp for this transfer.

My final grade for this movie is 5 stars for the film but 3 stars for this DVD package.

This DVD is definitely a keeper for those who enjoyed reading "Angela's Ashes" as well as "At Swim, Two Boys". If you have the chance to see this release in a theater, don't miss it as the sound experience is much better than this DVD. Or else you have to just make do with a dissappointing DVD package of a great movie.

Pretty much like the book (of the same title)
I was assigned Brendan Behan as a subject for a term paper. I read a number of books, 2 written by him about his life, and 1 biography by another author as well as the movie(which I loved). Given that some events in the movie appear to have been slightly altered or dramatized for effect, I thought the movie to be a fair representation of that period of his life. If the movie is at times confusing, it is no less so than his own account of that time in his life. I recommend this movie for it's actors, as well as subject matter.

Shawn Hatosy Comes of Age in Borstal Boy
In a touching and powerful performance, Hatosy demonstrates once again that he is a very talented actor. In a role that required him to step forward with a convincing accent for a character with a mild speech impediment, Shawn Hatosy is a believable, brooding young Irishman, who undergoes a metamorphosis as an outcome of exposure to a new environment, new ideas, and new experiences. Supported by an excellent cast, Hatosy and this story are engrossing and take the viewer through an emotional thunderstorm.

Stunning return of the reform-school film.
In wartime England a reform school headed by a benign warden harbors troublemakers of different nationalities. The IRA rascal, brilliantly played by an American, Sean Hatosy, is just one of the boys whose antics propel Sheridan's film through comic scenes to a finale of loss and sadness. Sheridan's cutting is quick and deft, and, except for the last 10 minutes the plot skillfully avoids the pitfalls of sentimentality.

Warning to new directors: pop songs on a movie soundtrack can be injurious to your film, as it is here, along with a peculiarly stagy ending in an Irish railway station, where the hero vanishes into clouds of steam.

Otherwise the film is very moving, and certainly one of the best investigations ever into the rightness of feelings of love. Defying the long and awesome tradition of Irish verbal art, Sheridan demonstrates that sometimes silence is the best way to express the feelings that attend separation. The inmates' production of Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" is a small triumph. The entire film is a huge triumph for director Sheridan. See it in a theater with a good sound system: sometimes the Irish-accented English can be hard to grasp. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Young Doctors in Love
Love the movie, I wish it was on DVD.

"Airplane" Gets hospital teatment
Jammed full of soon-to-be-stars(or at least well-known performers) had tough job to better other hospital satires, and succeeds. Gags are just as good or better than most send-ups of this type, and story has beginning, middle and ending. Loved Dr. Prang's (Dabney Coleman's)role. Michael McKeon delightful obsessive-compulsive. Strictly for those who can enjoy this type of comedy.

Right On The Pulse!
Very, very funny send up of the daytime hospital soap operas. Lots of jokes. Some don't work....most do!! I don't want to repeat any here but pay attention, because they come thick and fast....'Airplane' style. Dabney Coleman and Harry Dean Stanton really crack me up, and it's hard to look at a young Michael McKean and not think of "Spinal Tap." The main thing I want to draw your attention to is something that worried me when I first ordered this tape. At such a reasonable price, I thought it might be recorded in the dreaded EP mode. IT ISN'T!! It is a fine print from Anchor Bay in SP mode, great price, funny as H*LL, do yourself a favor and check it out. I'm glad I did.

A movie as a sit-com as a parody of a soap opera
There are some yucks in this burlesque of TV's General Hospital, but you've got to concentrate. What is interesting is the cast and what has become of them since, and what they were before, especially in TV land.

Michael McKean, who plays the lead, has had a fine career, but I remember him best as Lenny Kosnowski on TV's "Laverne and Shirley"; Michael Richards who plays a bumbling mafia hit man became Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld; Patrick Macnee was John Steed of "The Avengers" from the sixties; and although I'm sure you recognized Dabney Coleman, do you remember him from "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman"?

Director Garry Marshall directed both "Laverne and Shirley" and "Mork and Mindy," which explains why "Young Doctors in Love" plays a little like a scattered sit-com. Nostalgic in a cameo was Jacklyn Zeman, who, last I heard, is still "Bobby" on General Hospital; and eye-popping in another cameo was Demi Moore, looking, I swear, a little like Monica Lewinski with muscles. (Moore was at the time also a regular on General Hospital.)

This was the year (1982) in which the beautiful Sean Young, who plays the female lead here, was also presented in the classic sci fi "Blade Runner." Who can ever forget those close-ups as Harrison Ford examined her eyes to see if she was a replicant?

The prize for best acting, however, goes to little known Pamela Reed as frigid mousy Nurse Norine Sprockett, who is sexually awakened by being romanced for her key to the drug cabinet, a surprising bit of reality amid the general mayhem.

Young Doctors in Love
This movie does for medical school what "Airplane!" did for airline disaster movies. It is a must-have for those with a love of the "B-side" comedy and have a few extra beers. It follows the paradigm of a soap opera with all the cliches. Without giving away too much, an assorted bunch of characters pursue their medical degree (and each other) and move through their residency. Good for some very good laughs: "Due to a mix up in urology, there will be no apple juice served today." Oh, yeah, Demi Moore and Sean young... ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Delightful Holiday Story
Cary Grant stars as an angel named Dudley who suddenly appears and befriends an Episcopal bishop (David Niven) who is completely focused on raising money for his new church, and the bishop's wife (Loretta Young), who has become lonely and unhappy as her husband has gotten lost in his work. Grant uses little bits of heavenly magic and loads of charm to help Niven raise money and to help Young rediscover the joy of life. He also helps Niven and Young rediscover each other and realize that love must be the highest priority for anyone, including an ambitious bishop who's devoted to his job.

The acting is superb, as one would expect from this stellar cast. The story takes place at Christmas and, while not shown as much as other Christmas movies, I think it's one of the best. Cary Grant, all charm and suave coolness, plays this part perfectly, and the viewer even sees a touch of wistful envy in the angel who cannot have the Earthly love and happiness he helps Niven and Young rekindle for themselves. Buy this one and watch it every Christmas (or any other time you need a happiness booster or a reminder of the importance of love and kindness).

P.S.: "It's a Wonderful Life" is a good movie, but definitely I prefer "The Bishop's Wife".

A Family Favorite!
This film is one of the best of the Christmas Classics. The Bishop's Wife tells a story of an angel (Cary Grant) who comes down to earth in answer to a busy Bishop's (David Niven) prayer. The angel helps the Bishop learn to adjust his priorities and comes close to falling in love with Julia, the Bishop's wife (Loretta Young). The movie includes a lovely Skating/ Dance scene that defies description. Make this movie a tradition for your family this year.

Christmas with Cary Grant.
I think overall, this movie is maybe my favourite that was set around Christmas time. It's better than the brilliant - although overrated - Capra classic, "It's a Wonderful Life". I am in no way meaning to compare the two though. "The Bishop's Wife" is not really like that movie. But both films remain the two greatest christmas time classics to come out of the 1940's.

The film is, as one would have already guessed, set around christmas time. The main plot of the story, is that David Niven is this Bishop, who prays for guidance, of how to get a new cathedral built. Dudley (Cary Grant) is an Angel, who has been sent to help, although the Bishop does not take to him being an Angel too seriously, for some time. Dudley helps everyone he meets, but not always in the way they might prefer, to start off with. Dudley spends a lot of time with the Bishop's wife (Loretta Young) and he is not liking it. Dudley becomes the popular friend among all the people he meets, and helps, but the Bishop is the odd one out, becoming more annoyed, and frustrated with him as it goes along. It all ends nicely though, of course.

The film is really wonferful. There is a skating scene, that is inparticularly memorable, among Cary Grant always charming, excellent performance. The acting in this movie, is simply brilliant. I cant possibly have seen it being any better. The script, the story, everything about this movie is great. Repeated viewings are easy, and its one of Cary Grant best movies.

This DVD from MGM has a great print. It contains very few signs of scratching, and the other little artifacts you find in some movies of this age, and is an overall good looking transfer. The extras are lousy. You get the trailer (which is quite fun, might I add) but absolutely nothing else. Oh well, the print is the main thing, and they have done a good job in that part. Highly recommended.

Charming but overlong
Bishop: Are you expecting a letter?
Dudley: Well, you never know. If I did get one, the stamp would certainly be worth saving.

That's because Dudley (Cary Grant) is an angel sent to give guidance to forlorn Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven), and who eventually lights up the lives of everyone else in the Bishop's life, especially The Bishop's Wife in this delightful Christmas film from 1947. When the Bishop prays for help in getting a new cathedral built (the local millionairess widow will only give if her late husband's name is prominently displayed), Cary Grant shows up as his "assistant" but soon makes the Bishop even more miserable by charming his wife Julia (radiant Loretta Young), daughter Debby, and even housemaid Matilda (Elsa Lanchester, always wonderful).

The Bishop's Wife is truly "heavenly" with Grant playing off his tried-and-true persona. Originally Grant and Niven were supposed to have the opposite roles, but Grant decided he could do more with the angel role -- and Grant was a bigger star -- so they were exchanged. Good thing, too: I can't imagine Cary playing the indecisive Bishop any more than I can imagine Niven charming a woman away from Cary Grant.

Only a few things keep The Bishop's Wife from being perfect. There is an overlong ice-skating scene that really stretches the believability (I had to keep telling myself "he's an angel; he can do anything), and the film runs on about twenty minutes too long. In the beginning, Grant is so taken by Young that, if he weren't an angel, those looks would feel really sleazy. Turns out that Cary is just discovering temptations, which makes the ending all the more noble.

Watching The Bishop's Wife in June (during a Cary Grant festival on Turner Classic Movies) is a little strange, but the movie is so ... happy that it's easy to slip into the vibe, especially with all the Christmas carols being bandied about like so many candy canes. I'd certainly recommend that fans of the stars watch it at least once (especially since Loretta Young, whom I don't find all that attractive, is made, through Gregg Toland's photography, into a very appealing woman). Niven is rather on the milquetoasty side and his richest scene involves him being stuck in a chair, but the rest of the film is two hours of Christmas joy.

Charming!
THE BISHOP'S WIFE is a thoroughly charming movie about an "angel" (Cary Grant) who changes the life of a bishop (David Niven) who at Christmas time is trying desperately to raise funds to build an elaborate cathedral and has consequently neglected his wife, Julia (Loretta Young). The three leads give beautiful performances, and there is a wonderful supporting cast, including Monty Woolley as a kindly if doubting professor and James Gleason as a loveable cab driver. The screenplay is subtle, as is the musical score. The scene near the end of the film in which Grant, Young, and Gleason take time out for some ice skating is a delightful respite, very much like a number in a movie musical. THE BISHOP'S WIFE is a relatively recent addition to my video library, but it has quickly become my favorite classic Christmas movie -- next to MIRACLE ON 34th STREET and Alastair Sim's A CHRISTMAS CAROL, that is. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The tremendous charisma of Chow Yun-fat anchors this entertaining comic-book romp. Bulletproof Monk centers around a monk with no name (Chow) dedicated to protecting a sacred scroll that can give world-manipulating power to anyone who reads it. A hidden Nazi has been pursuing the scroll for 60 years and has finally caught up with the monk in present-day New York City; meanwhile, the monk suspects he may have found a disciple in a petty thief (Seann William Scott, Dude, Where's My Car?, American Pie) who's learned kung fu from watching double-feature chopsocky flicks. Don't let the presence of Chow Yun-fat lead you to expect much substance--this doesn't have the emotional scope of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or the visual panache of Hard-Boiled. But Bulletproof Monk is a cheerful, tightly edited, unpretentious action flick with flashes of humor, good for a mindless evening's entertainment. Also featuring Jaime (a.k.a. James) King (Blow). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (64)

"It's not about anger; It's about peace."
Ever wonder why hot dogs come in packages of ten, while hot dog buns come in packages of eight? Well, obviously that's a question that has plaqued us all for eons, but BULLETPROOF MONK may have found the answer.

60 years ago in Tibet, The Monk with no name (Chow Yun-fat), a mighty martial arts warrior, has been entrusted with the Scroll of the Ultimate, which has some kind of incantation written on it. If anyone were to read it aloud in it's entireity, they would gain ulimited power. Obviously, not everyone would use this power for good, like the evil Strucker (Karel Roden), who wants it to rule the world. He's been chasing the Monk every since he obtained the right to protect the scroll.

Now, in present day New York City, Strucker is still chasing the Monk, who must soon find a replacement protector for the scroll, since one person can only guard it for 60 years at once (One of the perks to guard the scroll is that for that 60 year period, you don't age one day.)

And the Monk may just have found the right man for the job. Kar (Seann William Scott) is a poor pickpocket with impressive martial arts skills, which he has gotten from imitating kung fu movies at the theatre (aptly named the Golden Palace) where he is the projectionist. Kar, it seems, keeps on fulfilling prophecies that the next protector of the scroll must. All the Monk has to do now is teach Kar how to use his skills for good, and that if you truly believe that the laws of gravity don't exist, then they don't.

BULLETPROOF MONK is one of those movies based on a comic book that nobody has ever heard of (along with TIMECOP, MEN IN BLACK, THE MASK.) But loaded with more (...)to satisfy any martial arts buff, it is simply not a movie you should allow yourself to not see. You can count on it.

Mystical Elements Lift Film
I've enjoyed "Bulletproof Monk." The mystical elements lift the film a cut above the action picture genre, of which this is not a great example. However, the scroll, which contains a secret message that could be used for good or bad and gives special powers including youth to its protector, is an interesting premise. Obviously, day-to-day embrace of spiritual values of truth, beauty & goodness would not be enough to entice Hollywood production; so this little Hollywood placebo is great where being spiritual transforms one into being able to spin around and jump up to a second story window. Paul Hunter keeps the pace jumping, despite the film's inconsistencies. Chow Yun-Fat is a great actor who has yet to be fully appreciated. I've watched "Corrupter" 5 times just to see the edgy depth he brings to a part. Here as the nameless monk he offers considerable depth, humor and sparkle to what is fairly flat material. Seann William Scott from "American Pie" is amazingly likeable for a pickpocket; and carries his weight as the romantic lead. James "Jamie" King from "Blow," "Pearl Harbor," "Slackers," and numerous magazine covers does a great job as Bad Girl Jade who lives a split life between wealth and the street, although one is never quite sure why. Karel Rodel as Strucker the Nazi is fairly flat and predictably evil. Victoria Smurfit as his granddaughter Nina is irritatingly evil with a one-note role. Mako makes a nice cameo as Mr. Kojima. It's been a long time since he was nominated for an Oscar in "Sand Pebbles" with Steve MacQueen back in 1966; and it's good to see him again. The special features on the DVD include a discussion with the comic book writers who are delighted that this is a film and a documentary about training Seann & Jamie as action heroes. This is one of those films I enjoy because good wins in the end. The action keeps the film moving quickly and breezes to a quick climax. While not classic, it's one to enjoy.

the best martial arts movie ever!
a monk must travel to america and pass on the title to a new guy.it really depends on your kid as to wether or not theyll be able to hsndle this one.its action packed full of physics defying stunts similar to the matrix.theres this one semi-hottie that follows around tne dork who runs with the monk.that dork plays another dork in the rundown.this movie wont get the credit it deserves.the bad guy is a nazi.i think it is childish how every time a director cant think of a bad guy he just makes him a racist.this whole racism is ok as long as its directed at white people thing has got to go.

LOVE IT!
I love this movie so much! I rented it first to see if I would enjoy it before I paid 20 bucks for it on dvd..and I wish I had just went out and got it insted of renting it! I did not enjoy the matrix one bit! and the only think that keep me from this movie was its matrix look..however I really loved Crouching tiger hidden dragon..and Iron monkey..so I just had a good fealing about this movie, its story is not soo deep or should I say as "stuped" as the matrix.. but knowing some people they will think this movie looks stuped and never give it a chance..Rent this movie and I bet you will be on amazon buying this dvd the next day. so for fans of Iron monkey,Crouching tiger hidden dragon,Matrix or just good old action movie fans this movie is worth the money..but one thin