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Sometimes it's hard to tell if The Mask (or Jim Carrey's in-your-face mugging in general) is actually funny, or just bizarre and grotesque. And sometimes it just doesn't matter. Carrey plays a shy, Jerry Lewis-like nerd who discovers an ancient mask that magically transforms him into a green-faced, zoot-suited Tex Avery cartoon character with no inhibitions. As Roger Ebert said of Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, the actor performs "as if he's being clocked on an Energy-O-Meter, and paid by the calorie expended." If that's your kind of humor, you'll love The Mask; if not, you may need a valium or two to sit through this one. Digital video disc extras include two deleted scenes and a commentary track from director Charles Russell. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Hello, Cameron Diaz And A Job Well Done Mr. Carrey
I must say that after watching such films as ,She's The One, and others starring Cameron Diaz I was not entirely impressed with her portfolio but when I got this DVD and gave it a quick viewing I must say I was(cough, cough) wholeheartily impressed with her performance. Okay, aside from watching this movie in that Music Television sort of way that totally discounts any of the other action going on other than the beautiful women being creatively(yet tastefully, yeah right) photographed I actually found this flick to be very appealing. I really don't know whether to call ,The Mask, a musical comedy, a romantic comedy, or a fantasy but I'm sure it's a bit of each. This is certainly a movie that showed Jim Carrey to be a good addition to the cast. His cartoonish comedy fit the role of a man with a love of cartoons very well, or should I say,"Like a glove."(I'll apologize in advance for the quote from Ace Ventura Pet Detective)The singing scenes were great. I have to admit I laughed a lot particularily during the scene with the cops instead of arresting Stanley Ipkus(How the hell do you spell that name?)they sang and danced to the "Cuban Pete" song. The other singing scene in the Coco Bongo with Carrey and Diaz dancing was not to shabby either. Ipkus's buddy Charlie was funny in a corny kind of way. His line about always wanting to say I believe it was take them away boys or something to that effect added to the cheese factor(Hey, I like cheese) The actors who played the officer and the sidekick in pursuit of the man in the green mask(AKA Ipkus) were very funny and the joke about the impossible pajamas was witty to say the least. The cameo by Ben Stein of Win Ben Stein's Money and Ferris Bueller's Day Off was also well placed. You know, the villain had a very Eric Roberts like aura about him.(Naturally, I didn't like him) So ,The Mask, is for anyone who deep down inside is a love crazed fiend with or without a really bad set of pajamas.(And of course a green mask of the night god Loki) The Mask is certainly worth a look, maybe even two.(hundred?)

Carrey'd Away
THE MASK is the film that made Jim Carrey a movie star. Carrey plays Stanley Ipkiss, a nerdish bank worker, whose hum-drum life is about to change in a big way. Stanley finds an ancient mask, that alters his personality, and causes his innermost feelings and desire to surface. The once shy nerd turns into a green face, big grinning party animal. Directed by Charles Russell, who allows Carrey to be his over the top antic self, as his cartoonish alter ego, The Mask, wisely keeps things moving at a brisk pace. Some of the Mask's bits are real howlers, like the first time he tries to woo the lovely Tina Carlyle (Cameron Diaz in her big screen debut), or the climax, when he tries to defeat the evil, Dorian Tyrell (Peter Greene), who wants to use the mask's power for dastardly deeds. Stanley's dog and sidekick Milo (almost) steals the show with a few antics of his own. The film has plenty of laughs and some fine F/X--a winner especially if you are a fan of Carrey's. Viewers can choose to watch the film in either Widescreen or Pan and Scan formats

The extras on The Platinum Series DVD are pretty good too. The commentary track from Russell is never dull. The deleted scenes offer a few more laughs from Carrey. Production notes, cast and crew information, and the theatrical trailer, round out the DVDs "added value material".While the handfull of extras are nice to have, Jim Carrey is the real reason to buy this disc. Recommended for the fun of it.

FUN HAS NEVER BEEN SO GREEN
Did you know that this excellent comedy was planed to be a horror?! Based on popular comic, THE MASK would be a storu about green killer who tells sarcastic remarks, while he's tearing a part his victims with an axe. But, when director Chuck Russell got Jim Carrey for this role he decided to do a comedy. And lucky for him and us he did a great job. I remember when I saw THE MASK for the first time. Fantastic story, interesting characters, and of course, Jim Carrey in role which made him famous. Story is about unsuccessful, shy banker who comes in possesion of an ancient wooden mask which turnes him into a wild, green, party creature who now has everything: powers, money and love. It influented on me so much that I find the same dog like Milo (that is one damn smart dog!). Carry gave the best of himself: he danced, sang and made jokes all the time. Cameron Diaz left me breathless, and two caps..., well, see it for yourself. This film guaranties fun whole 90 minutes it lasts and trust me, you will love it.

I got my copy in a box of CORN FLAKES!
You know you've hit rock bottom when your movies come free inside a box of CORN FLAKES! Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!!!!!!!

The movie, it was great for the kids, although there was some pretty suggestive stuff in there.

For anyone over the age of 10 this is NOT a good movie, I think Jim Carrey is good- but I'm not a big fan of his movies. Dumb & Dumber will always be my favorite Jim Carrey film, and his Andy Kaufman was good.

The Mask....it's just your typical Carrey flick. You might as well get Ace Ventura or Liar, Liar. It's ALL the same.....

Sorry, Jim

Jim Carrey's best film to date!
I still get lots of laughs watching "The Mask" after a full decade since it's release to theatres and even to this very day, "The Mask" stands as Carrey's greatest movie to date even amidst the funny films he's done since then.

The character John Ipkiss is a worker in NYC whose job goes down the toilet until he discovers an ancient artifact that resembles a mask of some sort and when he puts it on, it causes him to transform into a wildly erratic genius who goes totally beserk and Ipkiss decides to use the mask to fight crime in NYC but his mask is saught by a greedy criminal mastermind bent on taking over New York and kidnaps Ipkiss's love interest and threatens to kill her if time runs out and now Ipkiss with the power of hte mask must stop the madman before it's too late.

The ride throughout this movie is just hilarious and the comedic wit of Jim Carrey carries this film the whole way through. Go and get this movie as soon as possible. It's a classic for all ages to come. ... Read more

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The quagmire that was the Vietnam War comes to vivid life in this HBO film--not in the jungles of Southeast Asia, but in the offices of the White House, where a disastrous U.S. policy was forged. From Lyndon Johnson's landslide 1964 victory to his weary withdrawal from the 1968 race, Path to War charts the disappearance of LBJ's "Great Society" domestic dreams into the bramble patch of war. The bungled decisions are forcefully directed by John Frankenheimer, whose expertise at political intrigue shines in his final film. Donald Sutherland and Alec Baldwin do some of their best work in years (as Clark Clifford and Robert McNamara), although the great actor Michael Gambon, while impressive, doesn't quite capture the honey lilt of LBJ's beguiling style. Among the many superb scenes: Johnson intimidating an outmatched George Wallace (an unbilled Gary Sinise, re-creating a role from another Frankenheimer HBO film) on civil rights. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Re: Very very good
Its always fascinating when a movie comes out that shows the inner workings of Government and/or the White House....to get a sense of how our elected officials tick. To be honest I was not all that familiar with the Vietnam War so this movie provided me with some fascinating insight. All the performances are terrific,
very highly recommended.

Great Movie
We could not stop watching, a great movie.

The Forgotten Society
I highly recommend this movie for two very good reasons.

First, the acting and the dialogue involved with this project are great. I can still hear Lady Bird Johnson telling a frightened and fatigued LBJ "When eloquence of words are no longer effective, then perhaps it is time for eloquence of action..." And with these words, LBJ decides to retire the presidency and public life.

Second, I recommend "Path to War" because of the subject of this impressive movie is Lyndon Baines Johnson. Arguably one of the most controversial figures of American history, it is easy to forget all the good he has done for our country in the hell of Vietnam. This movie finally reminds the viewer that although President Kennedy had such wonderful dreams and ideas for our society, it was President Johnson who made those dreams a reality by maneuvering the congress to enact the "Great Society" laws. The audience can feel his joy and elation as he sees his vision of an America that has beaten poverty, racial discrimination, and the host of other social ills present in America during the 1960s. Then, we see his dreams transformed into nightmares as the American public become increasingly angry and hostile with his policy towards Vietnam. The audience is shown the private torture inflicted by decisions president Johnson makes in regards to Vietnam and the anger he knew they would generate...In conclusion, "Path to War" reminds me of a Greek tragety; riveting and enjoyable to watch and experience in the comfort of ones own home.

The last great film of John Frankenheimer
Being a huge John Frankenheimer fan, this movie was on my list to see for some time since I don't have HBO. Overall, I wasn't expecting too much from this movie, somehow I have that perception with all made-for-tv movies. The movie certainly has that feel in the first few minutes, with acting that seems a bit forced and wooden. But as the story progressed, I slowly got pulled into the situation and characters of all involved. By the time the movie was over, I was impressed with the portrait provided of LBJ as a troubled man who wanted to do so much for the country, but was held back with a stalemate war. It's expertly directed by Frankenheimer, with his classic visual style that exudes tension with facial close-ups. Gambon does a pretty good job too, although most of his acting in this movie falls into the 'concerned man' and the 'screaming and yelling man' episodes; it still shows the bi-polar sources pulling at him.

It resonates a bit with the current tensions and war in Iraq (some of this is mentioned in the bonus features), but it still carves out its own identity; when was the last time a President talked about a Great Society? It makes me wonder how significant of a President Johnson could have been (many books defer to this position as well, almost worthy of a place on Mt. Rushmore). But as a youngster, most of the Presidents I've been alive to experience are focused more on cautious outlooks than on civil progression and visionary goals. Of course its all easier said than done, but it seems to me the era visionaries has ceased with Johnson's statement not run for a second term in office.

I know very little of the historic values of past Presidents, but it's a genre I enjoy experiencing in the movies and television. If you watch the West Wing on a regular basis, or just enjoy movies with historical facts and situations (13 days, JFK, All the Presidents Men), then you'll enjoy this movie. I expected little, and I got a home run in return. I think it's a great movie that concludes Frankenheimer's career. I like his work a lot, and he will be missed.

It should be noted that the movie is not 4x3 full frame format. Instead it's in 16x9, anamorphic format; and the transfer I would rate as 'good' but not exceptional.

Path to War
Path to War is a great movie for several reasons. For one, it is a movie about LBJ, which is rare. In most movies he is a background figure, perhaps because it is hard for an actor to capture his personality. Secondly, it is a Vietnam movie that shows a different side of the war: the political side. Movies like Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, and The Deer Hunter have done a superb job of showing the side of the common soldier in Vietnam, but what went on in the corridors of power in Washington is rarely shown. And, finally, the filmmakers have assembled a great team of actors and historians to bring this film to life. Michael Gambon, who portrays LBJ, does a commendable job, as does Alec Baldwin as Robert McNamara, but the best is Donald Sutherland as Washington insider Clark Clifford. As an added bonus, the DVD version of the film is loaded with extras including cast interviews and commentary by historian Michael Beschloss. Despite its length, it goes by fairly fast, and it is easy to get caught up in the tension and paranoia that plagued LBJ during his presidency. ... Read more

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Once Upon a Time in China
The first of a popular series (six in all) starring the charismatic and athletically adept Jet Li. Li plays legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hong, a late 19th century southern Chinese healer and kung fu master. The story begins with Western powers (American, British, and French) encroaching on the city of Canton. Wong is asked by the Black Flag army to safeguard the town by creating his own militia of kung fu experts. His assistants include the butcher "Porky" (Kent Cheng), a Chinese-American named Bucktooth So (Jacky Cheung), and his westernized "Auntie" Yee (Rosamund Kwan), a non-blood-related childhood friend for whom he holds a special affection. But the Westerners aren't the only problem in Canton. The Sha Ho gang terrorizes local businesses and has begun dealing with the Americans in exporting Chinese for slave labor and prostitution. A down-on-his-luck kung fu master named Iron Vest Yim (Yan Yee Kwan) has decided he needs to defeat Wong to open a school and Leung Fu (Jackie Chan contemporary Yuen Biao), a traveling opera troupe groupie, just keeps getting in the way. This epic martial-arts film showcases Li's amazing fighting and acrobatic skills and established Tsui Hark as a top-notch action film director. The final fight scene between Wong and Yim entails a dizzying orchestration of kicks and punches while teeter-tottering on ladders. --Shannon Gee

Once Upon a Time in China 2
Actor and martial arts maestro Jet Li and iconoclastic director Tsui Hark revisit historical China and legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hung in the second installment to the wildly popular Once Upon a Time in China film series (or better yet, "serials"). The main players include Li as Wong Fei Hung, Rosamund Kwan as his beloved but Westernized Auntie 13, and their clumsy sidekick Foon (Max Mok). China is in a period of political unrest. Dr. Sun Yat Sen is beginning to gain momentum behind his Nationalist party. A Qing minister (played with intensity by skilled fighter Donnie Yen) firmly carries out his job as police enforcer and a crazed cult called the White Lotus Sect has decided to take matters into their own hands by bullying citizens and destroying everything foreign. Wong and his crew find themselves at odds with the minister and the Sect, who have more in common than they initially let on. It all leads to some high-octane action scenes, including an all-out table-stacking and airborne brawl with the Sect (in which Wong uncharacteristically goes a little berserk himself) and a one-on-one matchup between Li and Yen. Tsui juggles the multilayered plot while Li juggles his opponents in a perfectly serviceable epic that is perhaps not as significant as the first Once Upon a Time in China but is solid kung fu nourishment for fans. --Shannon Gee

Once Upon a Time in China 3
Set in the era when China was just beginning to establish relations with Europe, Once upon a Time in China 3 is a mixture of politics, intrigue, broad comedy, and kung fu action. Charismatic Jet Li stars once again as Wong Fei-hung, a legendary Chinese hero who is a doctor, a pacifist, and an amazingly skilled martial artist. Like many Hong Kong films, this movie has a woefully complicated plot: in summary, a kung fu competition not only sparks a bitter rivalry between different martial arts associations, it also becomes the linchpin in an assassination plot. But this leaves out Wong Fei-hung's increasingly romantic relationship with his aunt (played by Rosamund Kwan), the rehabilitation of one of the villain's henchmen, and the introduction of a steam engine to a Chinese factory, among other subplots! Once upon a Time in China 3 is not the strongest in the series--the subtitling is unusually clumsy, the editing is rough, the plot is confusing, and the melodrama is more crudely played than in the other films--but there's still a clear, raw authority to the storytelling that is a hallmark of director-producer Hark Tsui (Peking Opera Blues, Green Snake). Though it seems to have been made in a rush, Once upon a Time in China 3 will still reward devotees of Hong Kong films, and the frequent and wild fight scenes will appeal to action fans. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (14)

One of the greatest Kung Fu series ever...
Jet Li rises to a level only rivaled by Bruce Lee in the China series. I am not usually a hard core Kung-Fu fan, yet as soon as I started watching the series I couldn't stop. We finished the movies in one sitting which unfortunatelly started at 9 pm on a week night. Sleep is important, but try and put this series down... Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon looks silly when stacked up to these classics. Great plot, captivating story(especially if you stop to think about what was really happening in turn of the century China), and fight scenes that put the Matrix to shame all add up to a classic that is a must for any one with a DVD player, much less Kung Fu fans.

Excellent Package
Jet Li is the best kung fu star ever. The OUTC series are excellent movies, with lots of action, showing Li's capabilities and the films offer excellent plots, with nice photography, impressive locations and top-of-the-line production. The DVD format offers excellent picture quality, with subtitles in spanish, english and french (it is difficult to find spanish subtitles in HK movies), and the sound quality is perfect (except for the Part 1, which is mono) with Dolby Digital.
The best movies in my HK cinema collection.

over-rated
the first movie is very good but the second and third put me to sleep. Everyone said these movies were so great. I just can't see why. Unless you need to collect every Jet Li movie I would pass on this set. I think the first movie is worth buying singly though. It is very complex and unique. It will put you in a different dimension while watching it. But the 2nd and 3rd are so boring that I couldn't stay awake no matter how hard I tried. If you don't buy this set you will be missing nothing. However, try to pick up the first movie, it is very decent.

Jet at his best
I don't need to review this, this is a classic. You must watch parts 1-3, and then get Once Upon a Time in China and America. For some strange reason, he abruptly left the series after part 3, and made The Last Hero in China, a spoof of his previous work.

Typically Terrible
Jet Li is a fine martial arts stylist and an adequate actor but this film is typical of the slap-dash, juvenile style of film making practised by the Asian film industry.
Everyone character in it is based on some firmly held, narrow-minded perception of the world. Noble peasants, corrupt officials, Pure-hearted heros. The evil white guys are especially grotesque: Big Noses! Facial Hair!
Bad table manners!
Sure, Western films have been guilty of awful anti-oriental bias but there's no way a movie about the "Yellow Peril" could be released today without riots breaking out. As long as the bad guys are white, racism is OK.

The praise for this racist, silly, poorly made film is mystifying. It comes from people who are evidently easily mezmerized by frenetic visual activity being passed before their eyes. They can sit still for this far longer than the rest of us who can find more important things to do with our time like fold socks, do our homework or almost ANYTHING other than watching this film! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Shazam! It's Captain Marvel vs. The Scorpion
Definitely the finest of the old-time movie serials, and the finest live action version of Captain Marvel. This movie was voted by Wizard magazine as the best comics-to-movie adaptation ever.

It has decent special effects and a fine story. A classic desert adventure, including angry horde, offended god, and stalwart hero. The flying sequences are well done. The cliff hangers are appropriately dramatic. The Scorpion is a nice serial villain, complete with hooded face and ultimate weapon, and Captain Marvel remains my favorite hero.

If you like serials or Captain Marvel you really can't go wrong with this.

Shazam! It's Captain Marvel vs. The Scorpion
Definitely the finest of the old-time movie serials, and the finest live action version of Captain Marvel. This movie was voted by Wizard magazine as the best comics-to-movie adaptation ever.

It has decent special effects and a fine story. A classic desert adventure, including angry horde, offended god, and stalwart hero. The flying sequences are well done. The cliff hangers are appropriately dramatic. The Scorpion is a nice serial villain, complete with hooded face and ultimate weapon, and Captain Marvel remains my favorite hero.

If you like serials or Captain Marvel you really can't go wrong with this.

Greatest Serial
The 40s serial "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" has to be the "Greatest Serial Ever Made." The special effects, for its tme, are outstanding. The flying scenes stood the test of time until the first Superman movie.

Many in the cast do a fine job. Tom Tyler makes an excellent Captain Marvel. He looks the part and he demonstrates the great athletic ability required of the part. The actor playing Billy Batson leaves a lot to be desired. He delivers his lines as a Junior High student would do in a school play. The "bad guys" are just great. They fill the bill in typical 1940s serial style.

By today's standards, the plot is childish, but for its time and targeted audience it must have proved to be exciting from week to week. Anyone with a penchant for memoribelia would surely want this video in their collection.

Lighthearted fun
I do not know how accurate this is to the original comic book--the first time I read "Captain Marvel" (SHAZAM), I got the idea that Bill Batson was only between 10 and 15. Here, he is closer to 21 or so.

Told in 12 parts, "Adventures of Captain Marvel" tells of a man trying to get all six lenses to a golden scorpion, which has an ability to turn regular objects into gold--and other powers. So which of the men is behind the "Scorpion" mask? You guessed it! None of the suspects are developed enough to bother guessing.

Captain Marvel walks like a mummy, and the bad guys continue to shoot him even after it is apparent bullets will not harm him--why is this always the case? Captain Marvel does not talk much, and Billy Batson is the real hero...after all, he is the person behind the superhero.

The story is good. Corny at times because as a serial, it wants viewers to wonder how the hero will escape at the beginning of each week. Billy is flying a plane that explodes. We know he is not dead because he is Captain Marvel, but they do not reveal how he escapes until the next episode.

The effects are obvious, but remember that this was the 1940s.

While not rated, the DVD does contain violence and parents might want to monitor younger children...equivalent of a PG.

One of the Best Superhero DVD's from the 20th Century!
No, there's no Dr. Sivana, Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel or even Uncle Marvel...but you do have the prototype for which all superhero movies should be judged. The origin is actually pretty close to the well-known comic origin, with the old wizard SHAZAM, just in a different setting. I grew up watching the CBS SHAZAM! series in the '70's, and actually loved it. But this blows that series away by a mile. The flying scenes, by today's standards, are mediocre...but for someone seeing this in a theatre in 1941, groundbreaking would not begin to describe them. This Cap isn't afraid to get rough with the badguys, and will even use a machine gun when necessary! If you love serials, superheroes, cliffhangers or Captain Marvel, you gotta get this! ... Read more

Reviews (34)

ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE EVER SEEN...
The first time I saw this movie was when it was in theatrical release, (which lasted about a week). I was in a movie theater in Times Square with a friend, and there were only two other people in the audience. Al Frankin has referred to this movie as a "disaster" because it was pulled from theaters after not even reaching one million dollars. Note to Al: THIS MOVIE IS NOT A FALIURE!

Every detail of this film, from the opening montage to the marvelous acting, (these are TOP NOTCH actors in this film), to the hilarious comedy to the story to the music...everything is hysterical. I only wish they had chosen a different title. Stuart does not save his family, he can only try. The movie should have been called "Stuart Smalley."

I was so astounded by how wonderful this movie was, yet practically no one saw it and Al Frankin calls it a disaster. I honestly, truely, unexagerratedly believe that this movie should have been up for several Oscars, including Best Director and for the supporting cast. The actor who plays the father was especially wonderful. I only hope that more people discover this movie.

When the movie was over in the theater, (I have since seen it again on video several times), the two other people in the audience came up the aisle and also expressed how good the movie was. I wish I could have direct addresses for director Harold Ramis and Al Frankin so that I could write to them and tell them how proud they should be of this movie.

He doesn't really save his family, but...
Sadly, a lot of folks have never heard of this little gem. It had a very short theatrical release but has been gaining a wider audience, largely among members of 12-step programs, through its various video releases.

To describe the story line of this very funny movie would be to sell it short, because the premise doesn't sound like it would lend itself to such a delightful comedy. But the film grabs one's attention from the very beginning with its montage of 50s and 60s family photographs during the opening credits. Are these possibly family photos of the lead actors at an earlier stage of life? When Vincent d'Onofrio's name is on the screen, the guy in the photo looks an awful lot like him. And then we're off and running, with Stuart telling us on his television show that he has just received a sweater that one Melissa D. knitted for him. Melissa is a recovering sex addict and knitting the sweater "gave her something to do with her hands."

From that point on, the pace only rarely slackens, as we are introduced to Stuart's various friends and nemeses, beginning with Roz Weinstock, very possibly the meanest and most sadistic boss since Captain Bligh, and deliciously played by Camille Saviola. Roz has fired Stuart for maligning her on the air, and she is only the first of a series of people Stuart manages to annoy as he lives out his affirmation of "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and, doggone it, people like me." Perhaps not everyone likes him, certainly not the customer in the restaurant (an unbilled role, possibly director Harold Ramis?) who has to wait while Stuart explains his latest predicament to his best friend and Al-Anon sponsor Julia, wonderfully played by Laura San Giacomo.

From there, it is a constant back-and-forth for Stuart between Chicago, where he lives, and Minneapolis, ironically one of the chief centers of recovery programs, and the home of his very dysfunctional family. Stuart's beloved Aunt Paula has died, setting in motion an ever-muddier chain of events that eventually teach Stuart in a big way that the only one he really has the power to change is himself. Nevertheless, the ever-optimistic Stuart continues to offer his gifts to others, some of which are eventually picked up and appreciated.

Just as the setting goes back and forth from Chicago to Minneapolis, so the time frame goes back and forth from the present to the past through black-and-white flashbacks, some happy, some less so. These give us some idea of how Stuart has come to be the way he is today, and of the ghosts that he has to grapple with while living out his affirmation.

The film does take a rather serious turn near the end, but Al Franken as Stuart Smalley helps to keep the tone somewhat light during this section. And, as in real life, not all the loose ends ever get neatly tied up, but Stuart has nevertheless made his impact, as we see in a very heartwarming ending.

While most of the actors in the film are not household names, a number of them are quite experienced and turn in some memorable performances. Harris Yulin, Shirley Knight, Lesley Boone and Vincent d'Onofrio are all good as Stuart's family members, the men in particular. There are also a number of memorable cameos, particularly Julia Sweeney as the constantly apologizing Mea C., and Walter Olkewicz and Jeremy Roberts as the Skoag brothers who try to force the teetotaling Stuart to drink beer at a bar.

The music is fun also, beginning with the codependent song that is played during the opening credits. And it was great to hear Ethel Merman blasting her way through "Everything's Coming Up Roses," during one of the scenes where Stuart is trying to pull himself up by his bootstraps.

This picture has some of the funniest lines I have ever heard in any film. My particular favorite is Stuart's brother Donnie's attempt to define for him what an "easement" is, despite the fact that he obviously doesn't have the slightest notion. But many will like even better Stuart's comment to his sister about the pound cake. While there is plenty here for audiences in general to laugh at, there are also a number of jokes that are targeted toward members of 12-step programs, and especially those programs geared toward helping friends and family members of those addicted to alcohol and drugs. It's obvious from the writing that these are topics near and dear to screenwriter Franken's heart.

So, I recommend this movie with just the caveat that you will find it funnier and closer to home if you have some familiarity with the programs that the film gently pokes fun at. And even if you don't, after seeing the film you may still wind up with a new approach to life.

Great Great Movie
I absolutely love this movie! I watch it everytime I am frustrated with my family and always end up feeling a little bit better. Other than making us laugh, this movie teaches us that at some point it's ok to separate ourselves from our family's problems and that we have to accept that we can't fix everything for everyone that we care about. I was happily surprised that this movie contained more than obvious humor, it actually has heart!!

If you've ever been a member of a 12-Step Program...
If you're ever been or are now a member of a 12-Step Program you'll find this movie wildly entertaining. Sadly, the humor so evident in this film is so common amongst many familes struggling with relatives of addictions. Key words here are : affirmations, 12-Step, intervention, codependency, and many others to mention here.

A Jewel of a Movie
It's sad when I mention scenes in this movie at work and I get a "huh?" Very few people has bothered to see this movie and I think they're missing something. I found it poignant, funny and subtle. It it has some of the best one-liners and a rather sad but well written ending. Any grown-up out there (belonging to a dysfunctional family) still trying to stay with the concept of "family holiday gathering" should do what Stuart ultimately did in the end. ... Read more

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Ted Neeley makes for a wimpy looking Jesus in Norman Jewison's screen adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice "rock opera," which was a smash on stage in the early '70s. Jewison (Other People's Money) adds some good exteriorsettings in the desert, but Lloyd Webber and Rice's dialogue-freestory (everything is sung, as in a real opera), with itsquasi-profundities about the inner demons of principal figuresin the life of Christ, is the real hook. Yvonne Elliman singsthe show's best-known song, "I Don't Know How to Love Him."--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Rice & Lloyd Webber's Operatic Passion Play on Film
After the bizarre Broadway staging of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera, the film version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" had to be a more traditional offering. Producer-Director Norman Jewison filmed on location in Israel, using natural settings and sparsely constructed sets for what is essentially a string of music videos (since it was written as a studio album first, the music presents problems for moving from one scene to the next). The framing device for the film is the cast arriving/departing by bus. Ted Neeley's voice is suited to the role, but certainly he is the shortest Jesus I can recall seeing in films. Yvonne Elliman and Barry Dennen remain from the original studio album and Broadway production as Mary Magdalen and Pilate, which is perfectly all right. However, it is clearly Carl Anderson as Judas who gives the best performance in the film. The film version suffers from the inadequate voices of several of the supporting cast members (most notably Josh Mostel as Herod) and the grossly reduced chorus of singers which never comes close to matching the number of bodies on screen, and there are a few unintentional laughs (as when Israeli tanks come over the dune and chase Judas). But the use of paintings depicting the crucifixion and the final shot of sheep being herded past the cross the cast leaves behind on the hill, are particularly effective. Of course as with most movies, if you want to watch it you want to get a hold of the widescreen edition, otherwise you cannot appreciate the Last Supper tableau or just enjoy the compositional elements of the shots. Every Easter weekend I watch this film, even if I do not have time to do all of "Jesus of Nazareth" or "The Greatest Story Every Told." The only thing radical here is the music, but I still have to think it qualifies as the requisite joyful noise.

Controversial Rock Opera
Jesus Christ Superstar was Andrew Lloyd Webber and Time Rice's first major success. The rock opera was first a concept album that exploded on the charts hitting number one and spending almost a year in the top ten and unleashed Murray Head on the world. It was then made into a successful Broadway play starring Ben Vereen. In 1973, respected director Norman Jewison (In The Heat Of the Night, Fiddler On the Roof) brought it to the big screen. The film was shot on location in Israel and that gives it an authentic feel. There is no dialogue in the film, everything is sung in true opera fashion. It kind is like a forerunner of the music video in that fact. Mr. Jewison mixes the biblical setting with modern nuances such as guards carrying machine guns, tanks and planes appear and at the beginning of the film, the cast arrives by bus and at the end it leaves on the same bus. The beginning of the film shows the cast setting up what appears to be a play. They get into costumes and set up for the play. The movie focuses on the last seven days of Jesus and Ted Neeley appears in the title role. The movie focuses on Jesus' relationship with Judas, who is played by Carl Anderson. The plot likens Jesus to a modern-day rock star, who rises above all the other prophets due to the hype-machine. Judas thinks that Jesus is believing the hype and moving away from his humble roots. He turns traitor in the belief he is helping the nation. At the end, we are left wondering if this was just a play or was it real as all the cast members get on the bus except Mr. Neeley. The movie fades out quite powerfully in the sunset on the cross. The movie moves along through the series of songs and is well choreographed. The album, play and film were highly controversial due to its take on the Passion of Jesus, but putting religious beliefs aside, it is an excellent film.

Most powerful movie ever produced!
Too many people miss the point. This movie was not made as a literal portrayal of Jesus' last days...it was (and remains) a figurative interpretation of the last days of one who would inspire a new branch of religion.

From the opening moments of the movie when Carl Anderson (Judas) sings ("...my mind is clearer now, at last, all too well, I can see, what we all, soon will be...") through Ted Neely (Christ) during "Gethsemane" ("Allright! I'll die, just watch me die!") the viewer is mesmerized by some of the most powerful music, lyrics, and staging ever written and performed. This particular sequence (when Jesus is climbing the mountain, fairly crying out for God's explanation of things to come ~ "Show me just a little of your omnipresent brain") still brings tears to my eyes and I've seen this movie at least 100 times!

The movie was shot on location in Israel a few years after the 6 day war, and during the Vietnam war. These realities are not lost on the writers, and evidence of their beliefs and opinions are sprinkled throughout the movie (the tanks coming over the horizon and the F-16's flying over Judas' head were a nice touch). Their religious convictions are displayed in such moments as when the priests are on the scaffolding ("He is dangerous") and the crowd extols Jesus below ("Haysanna, hosannah, sanna sanna ho, sanna hey sanna hosanna; hey JC, JC won't you die for me...") watch Jesus' face at that moment....

Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdelene) does a fine job of balancing the angst of Judas with the over-arching compassion of Jesus, and Barry Dennen (Pilate) captures a high point when he washes his hands of Jesus' plight. Bob Bingham's (Caiphas) bass rattles your soul with his deep melodic tonality.

While the acting is certainly not on par with the great actors of our times, one has to take that with a grain of salt. I was 7 when I first saw it and I still watch this movie at least once per year (can you guess which day? :) By far this is Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice at their best.

Who the Hell did they get to play Jesus?!
The guy who plays Jesus is an awful singer. He ruined the entire movie sounding like the lead from some punk band. Also, it's clear they did not cast the actors based on their looks (or even their talent for that matter). I tried very hard to like this. I love musicals but this ranks down there with Cats, Hair, and Nine. If you want a great musical based on the scripture, check out the amazing Godspell.

awesome
OK, granted this musical was done in the early 70's and therefore has some 70's overtones, but the acting and singing are magnificent. The relationship between Judas and Jesus is powerful, and Ted Neeley stares right into your soul. I first saw this movie when I was about 7 years old and it left a lasting, positive influence on me regarding Christ. ... Read more

Amazon.com

At first glance, René Clair might seem an odd match for Agatha Christie's mystery thriller Ten Little Indians, but his buoyant touch is exactly what is missing from so many overly solemn remakes. Tenstrangers gather for a mysterious gathering on a secluded island. It turns out to be a farewell party, for they all have been sentenced to die for crimes in their past by a self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner who may be one of them. One by one, the guests are systematically dispatched in the manner described in the lyrics of the children's rhyme "Ten Little Indians," while the survivors nervously eye one another, splintering into tenuous alliances until the next murder throws suspicion on someone new. The terrific cast of character actors has a ball with Dudley Nichols's witty script. The flamboyant sparring of Barry Fitzgerald (whose paternal Irish lilt takes a sinister dimension) and Walter Huston is almost upstaged by Roland Young's deadpan drollery. Romantic leads Louis Hayward and June Duprez come off as arch and stiff in august company that includes a sinisterly detached Judith Anderson, a dotty and distractedC. Aubrey Smith, and a hilariously flippant Mischa Auer. The story has beenremade numerous times under the title of Christie's novel, Ten Little Indians, but never as well. Clair's effervescent, lively little gem is a fatal drawing-room comedy with a body count and a surreal mood of doom. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (53)

The BUTLER did it!! Or did he??
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I watched this black and white 1945 movie (whose New York premiere was on Halloween day at the Roxy Theatre) of almost 100 minutes without first reading the novel that it is based on. I'm glad I did this! Why? Because I was forced to really watch the movie in order to deduce who the murderer was.

According to the opening credits, this movie is "based on the [1939] novel [of the same name] by [Dame] Agatha Christie" (1890 to 1976). However, this is not quite accurate. This movie is really based on the play version of this book that has a slightly different ending than the book. (Note: In America, this novel is known as "Ten Little Indians.")

As a synopsis, ten strangers are invited as weekend guests to the only mansion located on an isolated island. When the host, with the unusual name of "U.N. Owen" and his wife don't show up, the guests start dying, one by one, according to the lines in the children's poem entitled "Ten Little Indians." These guests and the viewer are constantly reminded of the body count as each of the ten figures on a ceramic display are secretly broken, one by one, directly after a murder is committed.

Who exactly are these ten strangers? They are as follows (in the order in which they are killed):

1. Russian Prince Starloff (played by Mischa Auer)
2. Maid Rogers (Queenie Leonard)
3. Retired General Mandrake (Sir C. Aubrey Smith)
4. Butler Rogers (Richard Haydn)
5. Spinster (?) Brent (Dame Judith Anderson)
6. Judge Quinncannon (Barry Fitzgerald)
7. Dr. Armstrong (Walter Huston)
8. Detective Bloor (Roland Young)
9. Explorer Lombard (Louis Hayward)
10. Secretary Claythorne (June Duprez)

The above cast does a stellar job in their roles. They make the movie come across not only as a mystery but also as a black comedy (thanks to a well-crafted script). Personally, I think the actor who portrayed the butler did the best job.

As the murders begin to occur, the guests realize that there is a person acting as "judge, jury, and executioner." And that person, they surmise, is Mr. Owen. Suspense is created when these guests (and the viewer) start asking themselves questions:

(1) Is Owen hiding in the mansion killing them one by one?
(2) Is Owen one of them? That is, is the "loose cannon" one of them?
(3) (Is Owen the boatman that drove them from the mainland to the island?)

The black and white gives the movie a claustrophobic feeling (adding another dimension to this movie). The cinematography is breathtaking. The main background music for this movie is unique, something I did not expect.

I thought this movie was a little rushed at the beginning. However, it slowed down as it progressed.

Finally, the DVD (the one distributed by the studio Image Entertainment) has just one extra. Even though it lasts less than two minutes, it is VERY interesting.

In conclusion, this is a fun movie, even if you have read the book. For those who haven't read the book, I have left clues as to who the murderer may be in the above review. If you think you know who it is, then view the movie to see if you're right!

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Stylish suspense that ranks with the greatest!
By far the best screen adaptation of Agatha Christie, (not to be mentioned in the same breath with the tepid "Death on the Nile," and "Murder on the Orient Express") you have tantalizing mystery, thrilling suspense, black humor, splendid acting, perfect production, and almost geometrically brilliant direction all in one highly enjoyable package. Internationally famous director Rene Clair here presents the classic mystery with such style and skill, that you truly have no idea what's going to happen next. His craftsmanlike care and attention to detail make all ten characters at once capable and incapable of the murders. The careful casting is also inspired, a troupe containing no types to suggest assured innocence or guilt; yet hardly a collection of no-name fresh off his Oscar-winning performance; Louis Hayward, a now forgotten, but hugely appealing playboy sort; Roland Young, delightfully bumbling; and the adenoidal Richard Haydn, in his most winning performance. These are particular standouts in a sterling cast which also includes Judith Anderson, C. Aubrey Smith, and Mischa Auer. The great mansion is also a triumph of art direction, handsomely photographed in moody black-and-white by Lucien Androit; and music likewise assists to create tempo and atmosphere. Humor is also in generous doses, provided by scriptwriter Dudley Nichols, ("Bringing Up Baby,""Stagecoach," etc.) a master at pointing up the action with the humor, rather than interrupting it. Finally, like all great movies, this one gets better and better as it goes along, culminating in a classic denouement with a neat sting in its tail. Even after the culprit is revealed, you'll want to go back and study the skill at which the mystery was sustained! A true classic totally undeserved of its indifference from the Academy and today's top-ten lists. It will challenge any armchair sleuth out there!

And then there were none
I saw this movie on t.v. years ago. I am a fan of Agatha Christie. I thoroughly loved this movie!!! If you love mysteries you'll love this movie!!

Fun Until The End!
I loved this movie! Although the ending is different from the book, I thought this movie was very well done and well worth the money. I did notice however some parts where the movie was supposed to taken seriously, but ended up being funny through bad lighting or whatnot. But you must realize that this movie is older, so appreciate it. The story line is very well done, and the acting is surprisingly well done. PURCHASE THIS MOVIE! I know you'll love it to death and watch it over and over :D

Film, like book, unable to fully realize idea as a story
Agatha Christie's 1939 story idea captures the imagination. Ten strangers who each, in his or her own way, have gotten away with murder gather by invitation at an isolated mansion. Then their unknown host U. N. Owen systematically and mockingly murders them one by one. The idea was adapted into a film in 1945, 1965, 1974, and 1989. Each adaptation is worth seeing as an attempt to bring the idea to life. Unfortunately, neither Christie nor the filmmakers succeed in turning this compelling but at the same time confining plot concept into a truly fulfilling story.

The book's premise is clever and fascinating. Careful attention is paid to plot detail. Compared to the films, the book's assortment of past crimes and depictions of the characters' attitudes toward them are more varied, subtle, and interesting. The book gives the highly contrived events a certain plausibility. It is the least sentimental about the characters, treating them vaguely and suspiciously. This helps, even if it does not entirely succeed, in making them convincing as people who have killed in the past and could do so again. The book maintains more of a sense of fear, dread, menace, suspense, and purpose than the film versions. It explains at some length why and how Owen carried out the scheme.

However, once the imaginative premise is established, the story becomes thin and formulaic. There is little plot or character development. The storytelling seems flat, frigid, and, at times, slow-paced. There is no lead character to care about. The characters and their past crimes are sketched in summary fashion. Those crimes vary widely in originality, depth, and genuineness. The best are Claythorne's, the general's, Brent's, and the Rogers'. The past crimes of Blore, the doctor, the judge, and Lombard are trite, unexplored, and ineffective. There are only two real plot twists. The second creates a major logical problem, which the book acknowledges and tries to overcome by weakly suggesting that the ploy would trick or "rattle" the murderer. The guests' murders are designed to follow the nursery rhyme and little more. Some cosmetic frills aside, the killings show, in themselves, no special cunning, skill, strategic advantage, or plausibility. Owen strikes crudely without detection too effortlessly.

Worst of all, the book (and each film) has nothing serious to say about the powerful themes of survival, justice, and criminality that are at the heart of the story. The story is inherently an observation of human nature in a desperate situation. How do the characters behave? How do they try to reason? How do they try to survive? Also by its very nature -- as the book's last pages acknowledge -- this is a morality play. How is each character a "criminal"? How is each "beyond the law"? Does each get "justice"? Is justice the point, or simply a "lust" to torture and kill? Is the story about breaking the law or enforcing it, about mistakes or abuses in pursuing justice? None of this is meaningfully explored.

Overall, the films are worse in some respects and better in some respects than the book. The 1945 version develops the plot better in some ways. While as tightly written as the book, it is richer in deductive theories, in taking stock at each stage of the story, and in survival techniques. The dialogue seems sharper than in the book and provides some memorable lines. This adaptation pioneered the technique (repeated in 1965 and 1974 and omitted only from the 1989 version, to its detriment) of playing the Ten Little Indians nursery rhyme on the piano. This brings it to life and sets the stage for what is to come. The cast is mostly outstanding. Many characters -- Lombard, Claythorne, doctor, judge, Blore, Brent -- seem as smart, strong, or distinctive as in the book, or more so. They are more entertaining. Generally, the films do a better job of showing characters interact. Except in 1989, the films make more of an effort than the book to explain the relationship that develops between two characters.

However, the 1945 version handles the past crimes even less effectively than the book. The movie presents the general and his past crime in an obscure, lifeless way; even the weak 1989 adaptation does better. The 1945 version makes a ludicrous change to the judge's past crime. It waters down Brent's. In changing the story to allow characters to survive, it distorts their identities and/or crimes in fundamental ways. In the process, it replaces the book's most complex, interesting past crime with one that is bland, superficial, and false. This confuses the meaning of the host's actions, although it does suggest, but not develop, a new theme of false accusation not present in the book.

Generally, the film's attempts to make the characters entertaining (a re-named Marston, Rogers, doctor, judge, Blore) come at the expense of their plausibility as villains and of the story's seriousness. Characters confess their secrets and treat the horror unfolding around them as if it were a parlor game. Mischa Auer's farcical, clownish performance is a disaster. The character was poorly drawn to begin with, and the 1945 film does a particularly poor job of presenting his past crime. This, and the changed ending, are only the most extreme examples of a general problem with taking such a lighthearted approach to a fundamentally serious story.

Worst of all, the climactic scene, which reveals Owen's identity, means, and motives, is short, sedate, droll, unsatisfying, and leaves a lot unexplained. In 1945, Owen has a weary, rational, amiable armchair chat with the final victim precisely when the character should come alive as someone triumphantly and credibly capable of inflicting such horror. It is left to the otherwise flawed 1974 version to capture more of the tone and intensity of the book and to the generally inept 1989 film to provide an ending that is dramatic, reflects that a deadly serious killer has been at work, conveys a sense of Owen's menace and lunacy, and most fully explains Owen's behavior. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sam Peckinpah's final film has a lot to recommend it, including a complicated story derived from a Robert Ludlum novel but laced with Peckinpah's hard questions about loyalty and the balance between civilization and basic instincts. Rutger Hauer stars as John Tanner, a television host with strong criticisms of America's cold-war conduct. Looking forward to a weekend of socializing with old friends (played by Craig T. Nelson, Dennis Hopper, and Chris Sarandon), Tanner is approached by a CIA agent (John Hurt) who tells him his friends may be Soviet agents. Tanner agrees to let the spy agency set up surveillance in his house; it turns out there is more to the agent's claims than meets the eye and Tanner's weekend eventually erupts into violence. Osterman is not Peckinpah at his best (though, typically, the director was under siege from production politics), but the maestro of montage certainly worked in some extraordinary action sequences. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Swan song for Peckinpah
Although at times confusing (unless one is really looking hard), THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND is a pretty good final film for one of the cinema's most controversial directors, Sam Peckinpah. It is his statement on the Cold War, courtesy of Robert Ludlum's 1972 novel, and has many of those well-staged action sequences that make later imitators like Quentin Tarantino and John Woo look like rank amateurs.

Rutger Hauer stars as a controversial L.A. talk show host with a penchant for tearing down government officials for their hackneyed explanations of U.S. policy towards the Soviets. He is anticipating the arrival of three old college friends (Craig T. Nelson, Chris Sarandon, Dennis Hopper) and Sarandon's and Hopper's wives (Cassie Yates, Helen Shaver) for an annual get-together.

But then, a CIA operative (John Hurt) throws a monkey wrench into things when he presents evidence that seems to indicate that Hauer's friends are working for the heathen Soviets in an attempt to sabotage America's germ warfare program. Hauer thus allows Hurt to set up surveillance equipment around the house to monitor their friends' doings. Then things get very hairy, complicated, and, not surprisingly, somewhat violent.

Despite having the usual difficulties with his producers, who were (like many others) penny-pinching, Peckinpah managed to make the most out of his final cinematic effort. The incredible shootout between Hauer, Nelson, and the CIA assassins in Hauer's back forty is Peckinpah at his prime (one would never suspect that in reality he was slowly dying when he made the film). Burt Lancaster turns in a hideously frightening role as the right-wing director of the CIA whose anticommunist paranoia (not too much unlike Sterling Hayden's in DOCTOR STRANGELOVE) sets the film's events in motion.

Finished off by a fine Lalo Schifrin score, THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND is a solid and efficient espionage thriller, worthy for at least one curious look.

Very disappointing
I read the book and enjoyed it back when it first came out, but I never saw the film in its theatrical release. I read the reviews here and figured it would be worth a try. Big mistake!

I usually enjoy films based on thrillers, even if they are not totally faithful to the book. But in this case, the film failed on a much more profound basis than simply taking some liberties with the plot. A thriller, whether it's a book or film, should at the very least provide some thrills, and it's here that the film falls far short of the mark.

Even though the movie was made in 1983, it is one of the most dated films I've ever seen. I'm not just talking about the outdated room decor and fashions, I mean the whole look and feel of the film. It looks as if it were shot in the early '70's. This sense of being very dated and amateur-ish is underscored by the music, a strange concoction of seedy pseudo-techno and cheesy jazz that would be more at home in a porno film.

The screenplay is painfully dull, with none of the suspense of the novel. Production values are tacky and below the standards that one would expect even in a TV-movie of the same era. Some tight editing could have improved the situation significantly, but instead we repeatedly end up gazing at someone's face far longer than is necessary. It's almost as if the director wanted to go for a sort of retro-Euro look for the film, but he didn't come close.

The various "high tech" devices, mostly video cameras and monitors throughout the house where the action takes place, look ridiculously outdated. This wouldn't be so annoying if the director had not insisted on zooming in for a close-up almost every time someone touches a push-button, as if to tell the audience, "See, I'm all up-to-date with the latest new gizmos". The movie is filled with shots of people pushing old-style backlit clear plastic pushbuttons that used to adorn those boxy desk phones and were also used on some of the very first VCRs. Some of this stuff would have looked dated even in 1983.

Peckinpah is apparently best remembered for his penchant for violence and his use of slow motion in depicting violent scenes. There are admittedly several excellent sequences where he uses slow motion very effectively: a car/truck collision early in the film (totally unnecessary to the plot, but well done nonetheless) and several other scenes at various moments, but not enough to salvage the film.

What is so unfortunate is that the cast was made up of very capable actors, many of whom have given much better performances with other directors. If you compare this movie to "Marathon Man" and "Three Days of the Condor", both made in the mid-1970's, they have aged much better than "The Osterman Weekend". They move more quickly, they keep you in suspense, and you actually care about the characters. By the time people started getting killed in this movie, I couldn't have cared less. Another fatal flaw is that this movie is totally lacking in humor of any kind. There are some nasty sarcastic comments, but they are not funny, or even particularly intelligent.

Anchor Bay does an outstanding job of providing a quality video transfer for this turkey. Even more impressive is the remastered 5.1 soundtrack, which is surprisingly realistic and is one of the few things that makes the film watchable. The second DVD contains the director's cut of the movie, presented in full screen and without the remastering of the theatrical release. I could not bring myself to watch it (this is definitely not a film to be viewed more than once), but at least the die-hard fan will have both versions to view. There is a nicely done booklet with more information about Peckinpah and his films than I needed to know, but again, credit is due to Anchor Bay for giving the movie a much better presentation than it deserved.

Sam's Cut Falls Short
If you are mainly going to purchase this movie to see Sam Pekinpah's original cut you will most likely be disappointed. The film quality of the original cut is about equal with a bootleg VHS tape (it's also full-screen). Extremely disappointing and painful to sit through.

The Osterman Weekend
A great swansong to a dying man plagued by his personal demons.
This is not classic Peckinpah admitedly, however this is great viewing. The action scenes for 1983 are up there with any (good) John Woo movies of later years. Rutger Hauer, John Hurt and Craig T Nelson are very watchable. This is defientely worth a second look.
The very rough cut on the 2nd DVD gives this film a more ambigious feel.
Like the train wreck of A man Apart, it shows that test screening clearly does not work!

i hope this is the beginning....
it's daft, tired and hollow... But i find this Peckinpah movie quite entertaining, but i've just taken an oppurtunity to say the following:

I hope this is the beginning of a 'Peckinpah collection' from anchor bay, a double disc edition of his most neglected masterpiece 'Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia' would be greatly appreciated. I find 'Convoy', 'The Getaway', 'Junior Bonner', 'The Killer Elite' and 'Cross of Iron' all either tedious, revolting or both. They are all available, but not Peckinpah's last real achievement, strangely a film derided by even some of those that write books about him. It's time this ugly but wonderful, totally unorthodox love story was given a new life on DVD, restored. It's both the most typical and atypical film Peckinpah made. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Tommyknockers is a TV miniseries based on Stephen King's 1987novel.An alien spacecraft has been buried beneath the Burning Woods near the small rural New England community of Haven for millions of years, but has now by chance been unearthed by Bobbi (Marg Helgenberger) while digging around in the woods behind her house.The structure in the woods begins to exert a glowing-green influence on the town, causing the people to invent Rube Goldberg-like gizmos, develop the gift of telepathy, lose their teeth, and form a hive-mind mentality bent on digging up the ship and revivifying the desiccated aliens within.Luckily, Bobbi's significant other is an alcoholic poet (Jimmy Smits) who needs to learn to face his fears.He also has a metal plate in his head that prevents the hive-minders from reading his thoughts and makes him immune to the neon-green influence of the aliens. Ultimately, it's up to him to save the day.Although the acting is topnotch, especially from Smits and Helgenberger, and there are plenty of gooseflesh moments, there are also enough plot holes here to fuel a very long and enjoyable evening's conversation.Why do the aliens start in at this time, when they've been causing legends in the woods for ages?Where does an alien ship buried for ages get all that dry ice?How does the Smits character make a living as a poet?One suspects that King's fine sense of New England characterizations is given short shrift here, and that the woods in his mind teem with more alien thoughts than the TV miniseries form could embody.Welcome appearances by congenial actors abound, notably Joanna Cassidy, E.G. Marshall and Robert Carradine.And there's a slutty postal letter-carrier played authentically by Traci Lords.--Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Tommyknockers knocking at the door
I am a fan of Stephen King and recently it seems that all of his work is been addited for movies. The Tommyknockers or De Gloed (the glow) in dutch is a very good book, as I like SF as well. So when I bought the video I was a little bit chocked. It started well but you will never know why Gardener wasn't affected by the alien influence and later on it seems they run out of time to show the book properly. Nevertheless a average Stephen King movie in the same categorie as movies like the Sphere or Event Horizon. Nice movies but still missing the juice that combines all the ingredients.

The Tommyknockers (1993)
Above-average Stephen King telechiller adapted from his novel by Lawrence D. Cohen, about a town whose people become alien mutates who are possessed by aliens still in a buried spaceship, who force the townspeople on a mission to uncover the ship from the ground in the woods surrounding the town. The acting in this film is excellent, most notably from Marg Helgenberger and Jimmy Smits. The special effects (for a TV movie) are superb and the aliens look unbelievably eerie, and the usage of the green light is often effective too. The plot is not exactly the most original, but the way it's captured in this miniseries is most refreshing and riveting. The music score is standard horror movie fare, but it is quite suitable for the film and adds tension and atmosphere. There isn't really anything wrong with this movie except that the story is, like I said, not the most highly original and the narrative is kind of slow. However, it is a spine-tingling tale of horror and shouldn't be missed by serious Stephen King fans, or sci-fi/horror fans for that matter. THE TOMMYKNOCKERS is also home to one of the most chilling shots in horror history (which plays just after the opening credits end) when Helgenberger turns around in the woods with the hood up and we see her as one of the mutates. *shivers*

If I hadn't read the book . . .
"The Tommyknockers" was not Stephen King's best work, but it was a pretty good story with believable characters, plenty of suspense, and lots of creepiness. I liked it. This movie, however, was definitely missing something. It seemed watery, like watching a dress rehearsal, with everyone saying their lines and going through the motions, but not really doing the movie. And, there were too many variations from the book, and some of the changes seemed nonsensical and pointless. I thought Jimmy Smits could have filled this role well, but the film came out weak and boring.

what the hell?
I saw the end of this movie when i was a little kid and it scared me, but a few months ago i rented it and sat threw the hole thing (nearly 3 hours) and the only thing it encouraged me to do was go get some Advile! It gave me the worst headach! it is so lame! don't watch it! it is piecie of crap!

Pretty Bad Stuff, Folks
"Tommyknockers" is a bad made-for-TV movie based on one of Stephen King's worse books. The book was long, long, very long, and the movie is too. (There are two versions of the movie; the 2hr version that has huge gaps missing, and feels rushed and incomplete; and the 3 1/2hr one, that is slow and meandering) The movie is as long as "It" was, but it felt longer and dumber. Anyway, the plot is that Bobbie Anderson (Marg Helenburger) uncovers a spaceship in the woods on her property. Her poet alcoholic boyfriend Jim Gardener (Jimmy Smits) showes up agin in time to watch her degenerateing health as her obsession of digging it up grows. The alians are not dead, but asleep, and are giving the folks of Haven, Maine some extrodianry mind powers, but eventually these powers start taking a toll on the citizens as well. The movie was just bad; bad script, goofy story concepts, hokey special effects, acting that is un-inspirered at best (which is a shame, I like Smits), and what is Traci Lords doing (if you wanted to get away from your T and A reputation, this isn't the way to do it). I would recomend just reading the book, but I'd just go and read or watch "It" again. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A neatly enjoyable thriller in the pseudo-Hitchcock mode, Niagara offers great fun on a variety of levels. It has film noir themes (albeit in Technicolor), oodles of location shooting, and Freudian symbolism run amok. And, of course, it has Marilyn Monroe as an unbelievably ripe femme fatale: married to unstable hubby Joseph Cotten and stuck in a cabin at Niagara Falls, she plots a watery escape. Jean Peters (a future Mrs. Howard Hughes) and froggy husband Casey Adams are dragged into the intrigue during their delayed honeymoon. Veteran open-air director Henry Hathaway squeezes the most out of the spectacular scenery and the nail-biting climax, slowing down only for traveloguey interludes; the dialogue, pretty racy for 1953, comes from the civilized pen of producer-writer Charles Brackett (Billy Wilder's longtime partner). The baby-doll murmuring and lazy lounging in motel bed sheets is, well, all Marilyn. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (42)

"Film Noir, Meet Marilyn Monroe."
Marilyn Monroe was so good at playing the ditzy, sexy blond in upbeat comedies she became typecast in those sorts of roles. Niagara was one of her rare opportunities to show she was a fine dramatic actress, as well.

This is the story of two couples. Ray Cutler (Casey Adams) and wife Polly (Jean Peters) are taking their three-years-delayed honeymoon. George Loomis (Joseph Cotten) is a stressed-out, failed businessman and war veteran, his wife Rose (Monroe), the ex-barmaid plotting with a secret lover to kill her husband. All four characters wind up at the same hotel bordering Niagara Falls.

Things go wrong for Rose when George, proving surprisingly resilient, overcomes the lover, killing him instead, and, realizing his wife set him up, fakes his own death and begins stalking her. The Cutlers, especially Polly, are drawn into the drama when George, post-murder attempt, not realizing the Cutlers have been moved into his and Rose's old cabin, breaks in, intending to stab Rose, surprising Polly instead. Now Polly knows George is alive, but due to her overbearing, not-terribly-bright husband's interference, can't convince anyone else, specifically the police, of that fact.

Jean Peters and Joseph Cotten turn in respectable performances. Casey Adams is irritating - of course, that might be because his character is a moron. For pure movie magic, Niagara belongs to Marilyn. Whenever she's on-screen, the camera loves her. The standout scene has her in a killer, shocking pink dress that does an outstanding job of emphasizing what she has so much of. When Ray sees Rose, he asks Polly (a fresh-faced girl next door type if ever there was one), "Why don't you ever get a dress like that?" Her answer: "Listen, for a dress like that you've gotta start laying plans when you're about 13." Rose has a kid at a party play a record of her favorite song ("Kiss"), then begins singing along. The look on her face then, dreamy, yearning, is mesmerizing. We get the feeling, way before we meet the lover, or even know he exists, it's not thoughts of her husband motivating that look.

Marilyn must've had a ball making Niagara. No one else has ever looked so good just lounging in bed. And when she believes her husband is dead, Rose's look of wicked delight - she has to hide her desire to laugh out loud in front of the Cutlers - is priceless. Rose is beautiful, scheming, deceitful, manipulative, cruel, sultry, and yet, paradoxically, has a sort of little girl innocence that makes you root for her to succeed in offing George - who's a serious whiner, anyway - and live happily ever after with her unnamed lover.

The only problems I had with this movie were: (a) We're never given a compelling reason why Rose plots to murder George. Sure, she wants to be free to be with her lover, but why not simply get a divorce? The motivation of a fat insurance policy, or that her husband would kill her if she tried to leave (difficult to believe in any event - he's pretty pathetic to start with), or any one of several other motives never established, would've gone a long way toward having the basic plot make sense. (b) A key scene has Rose and George locked inside a major tourist attraction after closing hours - which means the employees locked up the building without first checking to see whether anyone was still inside. Not likely.

Joe MacDonald's cinematography is excellent, the scenery - both Niagara Falls and Marilyn - stunning, and director Henry Hathaway makes the most of both. Niagara has been restored as part of the "Marilyn Monroe: The Diamond Collection" DVD project, its colors vibrant and alive. It's deserving of this treatment, if only for Marilyn Monroe as Rose Loomis, and that it proves film noir in bright, brassy Technicolor really can work.

MARILYN IN HER PRIME....
This isn't the ultimate Marilyn movie ("The Seven Year Itch" holds that honor) but it's a prime look at Monroe in an unusual role as a scheming man-trap out to kill her husband (Joseph Cotton, who's excellent). She's the whole show and I wish she could have done more films like this that put her in off-beat situations giving her a chance to stretch as an actress. She's gorgeous in Technicolor and a believable vixen/victim when her plan backfires leaving her to be stalked by Cotton. You feel sorry for her at this point. Jean Peters is good as a sympathetic neighbor but Casey Adams (as Peters' husband) is woefully miscast and clearly out of his league here. He nearly sinks the whole film as a co-star and there's way too much of him in the film. But that's the only complaint. Otherwise, Monroe keeps us glued to the screen when she appears and we root for her no matter what she's up to. There's beautiful Niagara scenery and a great scene where she appears at an outdoor party in a sexy red dress and requests a sexy song to be played. She then proceeds to sing along with the record as she closes her eyes obviously thinking of her lover. The song "Kiss" later is reprised as the lovers' theme song and figures in an unusual plot to lure Monroe to Cotton---whom she thinks has been killed by the lover as part of their plan. Marilyn shows here what she had to become the icon she is now. This movie nicely represents the reasons people fell in love with her. How right they were.

Marilyn Monroe in her first Technicolor starring role!
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This is Marilyn Monroe's first starring role in a glorious Technicolor production. The technicolor film process seems a perfect match for Monroe; her ruby red lips and golden blonde hair are dazzling, and her skin tones are magnificent.

The plot puts Monroe in a dramatic role that allows her to chew up every scene. It's also the only film in her career (fortunately!) in which Monroe's character dies.

Niagara Falls are the spendiforous background in this drama, and Marilyn Monroe proves that she is probably the only star in cinema history that can eclipse such a natural phenomenon.

Marilyn absolutely sizzles on the screen when she performs her sensual rendition of the siren song "Kiss", wearing a dress "cut so low in front you can see her kneecaps" (as stated in the script). Indeed, "a girl has to start making plans when she's thirteen to wear a dress like that!" (Also from the script.)

Enjoy the magic of Marilyn Monroe in dazzling Technicolor in this great movie.

MMMmmmmmmarvelous Marilyn!

Marilyn and Jean and Niagara- what a treat!
All reviews of this movie center on Monroe and her protuberant curves - and I agree, she and her instant fame deserve some of the credit. BUT Niagara Falls and Jean Peters also deserve some special mention here. Whereas Marilyn is sexy in most her scenes, Peters is charming, a good actress and quite beautiful...and then there is Niagara Falls. This torrent of water never looked better.
The acting. Marilyn in her first film as a "star" does okay - but as far as good acting is concerned it is Peters and Joseph Cotten that deserve better credit. Then I do agree with some reviews that Cassey Adams (aka Max Shoewalter) is miscast and a bit over the top in his acting. This role was to be played by another Fox contract player (I think Jeffrey Hunter) but Fox weanted someone funny in the role (big mistake!). And the role of Marilyn's lover was actually offered (enlarged, of course) to Tony Curtis.
The movie originally was planned for Anne Baxter in Peters's role and the role of Marilyn ironically was to be played by Peters. When Baxter got pregnant by her husband, Peters took over her role and Marilyn...well she became a "star". Even the movie's title song (which was to be "Night and Day") was changed for a song Marilyn portrayed in the movie -titled "Kiss". At any rate, it certainly is because of Marilyn that this has become a cult movie and a classic - But Peters, Cotten and Niagara Falls did help a lot in getting NIAGARA to achieve this status .

Sensual, unforgettable Monroe. Made her a star.
One of the best projects Marilyn was associated with. I didn't like Niagara the first time i saw it, because i thought Marilyn was only good for comedy. But this role as the sensual, unfaithful wife of Joseph Cotton's (superbly performed) troubled war veteran is one of her most memorable roles. Pleanty of indelible Marilyn images come from here: Marilyn lying seemingly naked with legs apart under bed in hotel room, purple dress standing against cabin in grammophone scene, and the entire grammophone scene. Pleanty of location shooting made good use of the beautiful location, and the motif of the song the lovers sing to each other is a beautiful touch. The suspense develops well, but i suppose it depends on what you're expecting. I found it a great sensual thriller, but this movie lives and dies with Monroe. She is captivating in every scene, and looks stunning. The belltower climax of the movie is very fine indeed, one of the best scenes she ever played in. Nods to director Hathaway for camera placement in this scene.

Best line:

(Monroe has just done a sensual walk to the grammophone and had them put it on, then had a virtual standing orgasm listening to it, and spent an entire minute of close-up singing along to it, and the happy-go-lucky honeymooner character says to her)

Honeymooner: You seem to really like this song, Mrs Loomis."

Marilyn: "There isn't any other song," she says. But its all in her face - it always was. One of the best moments in her career. ... Read more

Reviews (25)