Reviews (58)

Flea recites Shakespeare. What more do you need to know?
Well-dressed "indie" hack Gus Van Sant (who's about as indie as Evan Dando) received lots of kudos for this pretty-boys-in-ripped-jeans, "loose adaptation" of "Henry IV, part 1". If this is a loose adaptation of Henry, then "The Rainmaker" is a loose adaptation of "Bleak House". This sometimes decent-looking piece of fluff is so desperate to live up to its "loose adaptation" hype, it actually (painfully) inserts some actual dialogue from the play into the middle of the movie. OK, yeah...get it. Thanks.

River Phoenix is actually quite good & handles the vague, sappy story of boy-hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold with class & subtlety. His task is a thankless one: he plays a character who honks on bobo, hangs out with danceclass reject thugs, and has the occassional grand mal seizure on the highway. That and he's looking for Mama. Sure, but that's always the issue, isn't it?

What's his name? Keanu Reeves gives his usual Frank Gifford-on-thorazine performance. He plays a rich kid who hustles to get back at his family. Reeves is uniformly awful throughout. The interaction between Reeves and Pheonix is like watching two popular college guys go to their favorite hole-in-the-wall bar in the seedy section of town and attempt to "fit in". Meanwhile, they try to pay the tab with a VISA Platinum.

The shame of the movie is that what looks like might turn out to be a dark, intriguing portrait of a troubled twentysomething (nothing earthshattering, there, I grant you) winds up being a J. Crew travelogue that desperately wants to be (1) literary and (2) a cult film. Unless your name is Ed Wood, you can't just effortlessly toss off cult films. Even Wood had to wear fake breasts and fondle a cashmere sweater.

In truth, this would be a really good film student project if it were fifteen minutes long and in a language I couldn't understand. As it is, Van Sant doesn't have near the talent or original vision (see Psycho, the rape of) to pull off a formless character study or a literary cult film. Two stars because of Reeves, the first ten minutes and it's not based on a Tom Robbins novel.

Reality check...
This movie shocked me at first, but I soon realized that Gus Van Sant and the actors, especially Phoenix strove to present us with a picture and a reality we often don't see or don't choose to see. Welcome to the world of male hustlers. I didn't expect to be taken on a date in the first few minutes, and I was sad to learn how a person can give over their body for a 20$ bill. I was impressed and touched by River Phoenix's preparation for this character. His effort paid off beautifully! I understand through reading some of the biographical books about him; he always threw himself into every character. It is said that in preparation of the film, he spent a great deal of time with one particular hustler, a young man, whom he portrays. In addition, he lost an incredible amount of weight to look the part. Mike Waters is a young man looking for something. From highways to gay bars and back again, he searches for his mother, an ethereal character from his dreams, nightmares, and semi-wakefulness from his bouts of narcolepsy. The fits of instant sleep provided some comical moments, yet I enjoyed it because I was finding out what gave Mike stress. He was also looking for love from a man, and not from turning tricks. The actors often reffered to having sex with another person, for free, which gave you wings. The extent to which Mike and other actors will go to search and strive after a goal is unbelievable: From the high plains to the sea-board cities to France, they wandered from place to place looking for Mike's Mom. There is a conflict between Mike and his older brother, who is more a part of Mike life than he realizes. I was inspired by the courage of the characters to show the depth of comittment that a young man will go through to discover truth, no matter how difficult.

I highly recommend this movie to become aware of what happens all around us. We can love others better when remove the labels and love them regardless of where they came from. As a pastor and reviewer, I benefited greatly to seeing a brand new perspective of life and it helped in my work to aid people I know in these situations. It made me wonder - in this season of Christmas why our homes are not open to rejected teens. Loving and intimate relationships are free to give. Mike and his companion had a intense relationship of companionship which didn't revolve around sex That should inspire us to think how we treat the people around us.

"My Own Private Idaho" (just one more)
I forgot one more story, related to what I wrote, already. As if you'll print this, but maybe.
When "Sweet November" came out, I realized it was a remake of the 60s film, only it starred Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, this time. I'd seen the original, with Sandy Dennis and Anthony Newley, back in the 70s, when it was on TV late one night, with Susie, my ex-girlfriend I wrote about earlier--the one who gasped, when I called her from the hospital and told her I think I'm an alcoholic. We'd loved that movie--and the "irony" there is that her birthday is November 17th, and that date features prominently in the new movie. It's also set in San Francisco, and I live just north of there, at Muir Beach. What an "irony." Sometimes, when I see "coincidences" in movies his friends and family make and my own life, I now think this was maybe River trying to tell me something from the Great Beyond.
When I wrote Susie of this "irony," after yet another hiatus in our relationship--she is fundamentalist Christian and has right-wing beliefs, when no one I know on purpose does, anymore, really--she ignored me. So bye-bye, Susie, and maybe that is for the best, since she wasn't in sobriety, even though we smoked and drank and took drugs, though she didn't favor that last.
I have related stories--such as when I saw Summer, River's youngest sister, in "Wasted," for the first time. I like this movie, though I can do without the sex scenes. And she can't relate it to River's OD, though it's about heroin addiction and is dedicated, in part, to those who lost their lives due to this disease.
I will go to sleep, now. I had no idea I'd write so much, and it's late. I have a bit of a head cold, but I thought I'd write you, since you sell me a bunch of River Phoenix things, suddenly, and you might want to know why, incidentally.(...)

Weird and wonderful...Keanu Reeves can actually act??
Being fairly new to the world of 'art-house' movies, i first found this a little confusing, and i was concerned that this strange approach would hinder the emotional impact of the film, rendering it yet another overly stylish, powerless and incomprehensible piece of modern film-art. I had also heard that it was extremely shocking and controversial. However, i began to understand Gus Van Sant's language, and it soon seemed completely natural. The claims regarding its explicit sexual nature have been, fankly, grossly exaggerated and probably the result of mild homophobia. The camp fire scene is the most memorable, with River Phoenix's perfomance as Mike, subtle and shining as usual, bringing to mind the very similar camp-fire scene in "Stand by me". Having only seen Keanu Reeves appear in such films as 'Speed' and 'the Matrix', in which he hardly demonstrates any power or skill as an actor, it came as somewhat of a pleasant surprise to see his humorous and striking portrayal of Scott. A sensitive choice of music contributed to the mood, both in the comic, nostalgic steel-string guitar to the gentle folk song that plays as Mike vows through tears to find his mother (by the way, does anybody know what that song is or how to find out?). I was slightly disappointed and depressed by the ending, which is extremely inconclusive, but i suppose movies don't always need a conclusive ending to make them good. Overall a visually stylish, emotionally powerful movie, with some fantastic acting by River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves.

wierd, different, and sad
I did not know exactly to expect when watching this movie but I am a big fan of River Phoenix so I decided to give it a shot. I watched about the first third or so of it and found myself thinking I can't believe I rented this, with the exception of a few scenes that I thought were pretty funny, but when the campfire scene happened I became more involved with the film. I started to see Mike more as a person searching for love and his mother instead of just a male prostitute that fell asleep a lot. I thought River's acting was brilliant. Everything I have seen him in so far is so believable to me. For example, when he sees Scott and his new girlfriend kissing at the dinner table he blows smoke at them, out of obvious jealousy, and he can't sleep when he hears them making love in the next room. I think he was excellent in picking up people's mannerisms and the little things that people do. I ended up being so mad at Scott in the end and was saddened in how it seemed that Mike would live that life until his death. The role of Mike was played perfectly in that it seemed that he didn't even like being a prostitute, evident by his fits of sleep during most of those situations, but he was just trying to get by and find love. The believable acting, mostly by River, and the sadness and emotional vulnerability of the second 2 thirds or so of the film more than make up for the beginning. I hope to look deeper into people's lives and less likely to judge others, something that I must admit needing a little more help in. It really saddens me that there are people right now as I'm typing this review living lives similar to this one feeling like the "road never ends" for them. God bless them and everyone else. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

The cutest, most endearing love story of all time!
An attractively, welldone movie. Meg Ryan's character seemed to be made just for her and she played it superbly. And Walter Matthau was wonderful as Einstein. They couldn't have picked a better guy. I was just cuted out by the characters he and his friends (Lou Jacobi, Gene Saks, and Joseph Maher) played. The were the funniest, most humorous match-makers I have ever seen in a movie. In short, I think that the cast of characters was nothing short of magnificent.

Catherine (Meg Ryan) is the niece of the well meaning but bumbling Einstein (Walter Matthau). She was born with the mind of a scientist who always follows her head, and is just learning what it means to follow her heart. And Ed (Tim Robbins) is just the man to teach her how (with a little help from Einstein and his friends).

This Movie Is, Like, Jivin'!
I have to confess.....I love this movie. I think I've watched it over 300 times, and I'll probably watch it another 300.

Say what you want to about Meg Ryan being too cute, about the plot being predictable, whatever. I think it's just....jivin'. It's a neat love story, about the actions of boy meets girl, fate and love, and Albert Einstien's convertible. Throw in a comet and a few wacky physicists, well, it's just pure fun. I wish to heck I could find the score somewhere; the blend of do-wap and Mozart is as much fun as the movie itself.

I'm prejudiced because Tim Robbins is my favorite actor, but all the acting in this goofy, off the wall film is top-notch. Though it's not one of the late Walter Matthau's most famous roles, I personally think it's one of his best, and I can't think of anyone better to play the eccentric Albert Einstien.

One of the most beautiful things about this film is the accuracy of the set and costumes. Not just Meg Ryan's picture-perfect 50's dresses, but the buildings and vehicles, and especially the heavily wood-panelled bungalows favored by the rich during the late 50's; they're so time-perfect you can almost smell the Lemon Pledge.

Incedentally...look for one of the funniest performances in one of the experiments by Meg Ryan's movie fiance, "Excremental Psychologist" James Moreland. I'm not sure who the actor is, but in the background of his lab is a student driven psychotic by a "time depravation experiment", and his physical humor and antics are about a thousand times better than anything from SNL in the past decade.

By the by, this makes a perfect date movie, and is mild enough for kids...but still fun for adults. It's just all around terrific, and a great buy.

A brilliant romantic comedy
Now this is how to do the genre!

This is brilliantly funny, poignant and tender, but never insipid (the director is Australia...so insipidness is definitely out) movie. Matthau is truly fantastic as Einstein, as are his three sidekicks (especially Godel! and the tree that likes to eat their stuff!) as they try to manuever the two leads together and remove the Lesser Professor, a.k.a the rat man, Chimp Pimp, etc from the picture: the stuffy english fiance of Meg Ryan's Character, played perfectly by Stephen Frey. Of course the Lesser Professor is trying to hang on to Meg Ryan's character and expose Tim Robbin's character as a fraud because of his new found friendhsip with Einstein and the secret paper they're working on so Tim Robbin's character can impress Meg Ryan's charater with 'his genius' because that is what she looks for in a man- a genetic hope of making genius children so she, lacking in her own confidence, can achieve through her children. MEg Ryan's character is Eistein's neice.

I can't understand how Matthau didn't get a best supporting actor nomination for this movie! He is so good, as is all the cast: they fit perfectly, especially the 'four boys'.

The story is fairly linear but well paced. It does deal with a lesser theme of self belief, being yourself, and sexual equality and that brilliant men can be have brilliant women as their equal, or betters. The main theme is not letting the brain rule the heart too much, and to be happy. And that some things-love- defy science!

I can't think of any movie like this one. Its unique, clever, witty and subtle at times (especially the humor: Einstein on a motorbike going wah-hoo...very cool!). So if you like your movies sophisticated, wholesome, honest, stylish and not contrived then you defintely want to see this one! The cinematography and 'fifty-ness' is fantastic!

Definitely 5 stars! More even...!

DVD is very plain: just the movie. No added features or even bio's for that matter. But with a movie this good, who needs them? The picture and sound quality are top notch.

SILLY, BUT CHARMING
Apart from a quote I love ("I'd rather be an optimist and a fool, than a pessimist and always right") the movie is also a relatively intelligent feel-good romantic comedy. Matthau is hilarious as Einstein, almost looks like him too! Robbins is at his suave best, and Meg a prim intellectually inclined neice of Einstein.

If you have any respect for the history of physics and the reputations of the people who formed non-Euclidean theory, leave it at the door. (One cannot but wonder if fictional physicists, instead of real characters could not have accomplished the same thing in terms of compelling characterizations?)

In any case, the movie is a neat little love story, and worth a cosy evening's rental.

Surprise! A good Movie
I caught this flick on cable TV one day and was left feeling I watched a good-hearted romantic comedy. The movie wasn't the funniest or raunchiest and it wasn't a tear-jerker...just the way a romantic comedy should be. Robbins (the actor) was great in his "working man" role. The Einstein twist was marvelous and his (Einstein's) fellow genius' were also great.

Strongly recommended for someone looking to watch a romantic comedy free of zany characters or crazy scenes. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Intriguing but a disappointment
Jazz aficionado Clint Eastwood's admiration for the legendary Charlie Parker is evident throughout "Bird," but it can't overcome a script that dwells on the great musician's self-destructive drug use at the expense of his musicianship. Why did Charlie Parker die at such a young age? The film answers that question rather explicitly. Why was Charlie Parker great? "Bird" tends to fumble when addressing that question. Still, Eastwood captures the smoky ambiance of Parker's nocturnal world very well, and the music is hard to fault. Though it is ultimately a disappointment, "Bird" is worth a look for admirers of both the director and his subject.

A MASTERPIECE OF JAZZ AND DRUG FILM NOIR.
Wow, I can't believe the negative reviews for this MASTERPIECE by Clint Eastwood. Being a big fan of Jazz, I've owned this film for many years in more than one incarnation, and have watched it more times than I care to tally.

Many reviewers said it's overly dark. Yep. Jazz musicians spend most of their time in dark smoke-filled nightclubs. So does BIRD. This is a great MOOD PIECE. It could also be called FILM NOIR.

Many said it doesn't establish why Charlie Parker was one of the greats of Jazz. In one particularly brilliant scene of writing in this film, Parker is talking about himself and the legend of BIRD to Red Rodney, partner in Jazz and fellow heroin addict. He talks about "going inside the melody" of Cherokee, a song he had played many times and was tired of doing. Parker decides to go around the melody with little notes and discovers his style. Thus, a whole new form of music called Be Bop is born. A superb scene.

Many reviewers said it dwelt too heavily on the negative aspects of Parker's drug abuse. This is true. However, heroin played a significant part in early Jazz music in this country. Heavily significant. A majority of the best and brightest Jazz stars were plagued by addiction for many years. Read Miles Davis' autobiography. He lists them all. Eastwood recognizes this in a scene where Parker is in Paris and is debating whether to return to the States. A fellow sideman is trying convince him to stay in France where he can make a decent living. SIDEMAN: "You can't make no living playing Jazz in the States." BIRD: "Dizz can. Duke can." SIDEMAN: "Well you ain't Dizz. And you certainly ain't Duke." BIRD: "So I kick." The Sideman laughs uproariously. BIRD: "I can kick." The Sideman laughs harder. The point of this exchange: the only successful Jazzmen are Duke and Dizzy because they may be the only ones not hooked on heroin. Subtle writing. A brilliant exchange that conveys so much about the world of Jazz. For some Jazz musicians, heroin was used in a creative context whether people will admit that or not. And drug and alcohol abuse DID kill Charlie Parker. Artists can be extremely self-destructive human beings.

Some said it wasn't accurate. Many film biopics use composite characters for dramatic effect and change some history for storytelling purposes. Films can't possibly contain a person's whole history. It's not possible. But BIRD conveys Parker's fame and troubles with amazing grace and skill.

Yes, BIRD is dark and depressing. It is also a brilliantly realized ART FILM. However, the timeline can be very confusing. I screened this for a friend, who was lost in the flashbacks. He did however, enjoy the film.

Another thing I love about the script, is that it portrays Charlie Parker as an articulate and eloquent man, as many Jazz musicians were at the time and still are. (Wynton Marsalis comes to mind.) Even in "the midst of my disorientation," Parker remains articulate. One of my favorite lines of dialogue is when Parker is waking up on the floor after passing out in a wealthy patron's house. She explains to him that he has passed out, and Parker retorts from the floor, "Very undignified of me." BEAUTIFUL WRITING.

I just had to chime in, because this film is an overlooked TREASURE. Forest Whitaker gives us probably the most amazing death scene I've ever witnessed on film. He should have won the Oscar for his performance. It was shamefully overlooked. Diane Venora is superb as are the rest of the cast. And as for Clint Eastwood; this is without a doubt, HIS BEST FILM. And one of my all time favorite flicks. Thanks Clint, for giving me many hours of enjoyment, and taking me back to a time I wish I had lived through, with this WORK OF ART. YOU are a TRUE JAZZ LOVER.

If YOU are A TRUE LOVER OF JAZZ or A TRUE LOVER OF FILM ART, YOU MUST SEE THIS POIGNANT PIECE OF JAZZ HISTORY. THIS IS SUPERLATIVE MOVIEMAKING.

This Bird doesn't fly
This movie was a disappointment for me. I had hoped to learn about a creative musician's life but that is not the story here. The acting is great but the threads of plot are just too disconnected. I suspect those who love this film know Mr. Parkers life so well that the holes in the story don't keep them in the dark the way I felt. Clint Eastwood directs this movie like my 15 year old son who doesn't understand how to show me something that he knows really well and I don't. That's the feeling I had watching this movie.

Unless you know Charlie Parkers life very well I'd pass on this movie.

Never forgot it
Forrest Whittaker is one of the best actors in Hollywood. It's a shame we don't see more of him but he had a triumph with Bird. Some critics have said it wasn't completely accurate. That's true. Bird spent his adult life as an addict and there's nothing romantic or touching about that. Bird's relationship with Chan wasn't as portrayed in the film but the full, unfiltered story of his life would've been more than most audiences could bear. This is the "lite" version, kind of like Lady Sings the Blues but it's still a great film that gives you an idea of it's subject's genius and it well worth the money.

Warning - DVD does not play in computers
I saw this movie a long time ago and liked it. Unfortunately,
the DVD is "copy protected" and will not play on most
computers unless you have CSS cracking software. Too bad.
I don't want to buy a DVD player just to watch a few DVD's
so I play them on my computer. But not this one. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Never take yourself seriously
Don Knotts and Tim Conway are the experts at not taking themselves seriously. The best way to give an understanding of how wild this movie is is to simply point out that comic genius Don Knotts plays the straightman to Tim Conway's magnificent imbecile. Of course none of it makes sense - it was never meant to! That's part of the joke. My family has worn out one copy of this video. Not even the classic 'Walk this way' from Young Frankenstein can match up to the take on that joke in this movie. My mother begins laughing at it several minutes before they actually perform it, it's so funny! I'm willing to bet Tim Conway made up the 'Wookalar' story on the spot, from the incredulous look Don Knotts gives him. Great double feature with Clue!

Oh how I remember this movie!
I can remember my mom first getting this movie for me when I was about 3 years old, and she told it had Don Knotts & Tim Conway from "The Apple Dumpling Gang" in it! To this day it continues to make me laugh, and it is one of those movies which has withstood the test of time! But with these 2 comedy greats playing the spoofs of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to solve a murder in a dark haunted mansion, it's a movie every family of any age will treasure! A must for the whole family!

This movie is hilarious
It's a true comedy classic - you'll laugh til you fall out of your chair! And it is climactic too!

slippery sleuths
great comedy team as wats &holmes like the beach wagon etc they realy left a mark ...

"A Sound? You mean like a Wookalar would make?" "Koowah!"
First the DVD review: This DVD was/is put out by "Hens Tooth" video. (Hens Tooth?) Features the original theatrical trailer, which in itself is a gem; a wonderful stills gallery featuring behind the scenes making of the movie...priceless! And an awesome commentary by Tim Conway and the Director Lang Elliot who offer tons of little know facts and insight to this classic! This DVD is crisp and clear and so is the sound! The only thing this DVD lacks are the deleted and alternate scenes and alternate angles they showed on TV back in 1984. (see below for details) But, I'm happy to take what they give!

I know this is going to sound odd, but this is my favorite comedy of all time! No question! I have always been a big fan of Tim Conway and Don Knotts! (Who isn't?) Both men are absolute geniuses and have been underused since this movie came out back in 1981. This movie left a huge impression on me when I was a kid! I have always wanted a house just like the one in this movie! Who wouldn't want a 252 room estate! You could almost sleep in a different room for a full year! I was equally impressed when I found out the house in this movie is a real house! It's the Biltmore House and gardens. The real house is in Asheville North Carolina. Although the Biltmore House doesn't have 252 rooms (darn!) it is an absolutely gorgeouse manor! I highly recommend you check out their website! They will even send you a free brochure which pulls out into a mini poster! I have one on my wall right now! Very cool!

Anyways, back to the review...This is one movie that can be shared with the whole family! When this movie came out I was 10 years old and was so impressed by the look of it, the hysterical comedy, the cast, and the mystery storyline! You had to be there, but everytime and I mean EVERYTIME I saw this movie the theater was packed and sold out! Movies back then would run for 3-6 months at a time! (this is before even video and vcr's) I would clip every article or advertisement for this movie and I still have them today in a scrapbook! Yes, I am a fan!

Tim and Don play two ameturish private detectives who are called in to investigate the murder of Lord and Lady Morley, the owners of the estate. Don plays the straight guy to a T! Tim plays a wacky, paranoidish, inventor/detective. One of Tims inventions is called a time gun, which goes off every hour! He is also afraid of a legendary creature called the "Wookalar"! A half pig half human creature that will "suck your brains right out your nose!" Very funny stuff! You have to see it for yourself! The two detectives run into a myriad of funny characters along the way in the Manors staff and housekeeprs/caretakers! Just when they think they know who the killer is..that suspect ends up dead! Hilarious!

Now, here is something to note: I was extactic when this movie first aired on TV back in 1984 and happily taped it! Lucky for anyone else who taped it (and still has the tape like me!) because they showed scenes and alternate takes/angles that are NOT IN THIS DVD! They show a scene with Trisha Noble and Tim Conway eating dinner at a loooong dinner table that is just hilarious! Tim dresses up as Don's character, in hopes of "fooling" the killer, as a decoy. Trishas character just beats the crud out of Tim as she gets upset when people try to "trick" her! Hilarious!
The next scene they showed was an extra scene of Tim trying to send off a Homing pigeon, with an update of their investigation to Scotland Yard. Tim has a whole crate of homing pigeons and every time he trys to send a message something happens to the bird! So, in the deleted scene Tim paints a pigeon black, so no one can see it at night thus nothing should happen to it, and when he throws it out the window of his room...the pigeon goes but the wings stay in his hands! Cruel? Yes, by todays standards, but still funny!
Next, there is an alternate scene when the maid is preparing tea for Tim and Don and the killer slips poison in their cups. And there are a couple of alternate angle shots throughout the TV version.

This is an absolute classic comedy! Buy it before it goes out of print! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Adequate Entry into Universal's Classic Monsters DVD Series
Not much has been made out of these new 'double-featurette' Monster set-ups yet. I picked this particular set up at a local store before buying any more. The transfers are very sharp looking and of high quality; there are sure no complaints about how the movies themselves look.

However, sad to say that these are pretty lacking in the cool extras that the original classic Monster releases had - track commentary, mini-documentaries and photo galleries are completely missing. What you do get for extras (assuming this set is indicative of the rest of the 2-for-1 releases) are sparse 'text only' production notes which may hold a little interest for fans; select cast bios and filmography; and vintage trailers for the movies (I do not recall seeing a 'Mummy's Tomb' trailer before so that was kind of cool). And for what little it is worth the jewel-box packaging art/design is also pretty disappointing (...). On the other hand, it is kind of nice of Universal to go for a somewhat more economically minded 'two for the price of one' format with these releases; I guess if they had to sacrifice some of the extras to acheive this.....personally I (like many serious fans) would rather have paid more and seen the documentaries and heard the commentary!

All things considered; the movies themselves are the bottom line and if this set is a fair representation of the rest of the new series, they look great and are definetely worth picking up. Sadly, a lack of cool extras as we had become used to with the original Classic Monsters DVD releases knock these a little bit down from 'Must Own' status.

1940's serial mummy films come to DVD!
Having already purchased these films on VHS, plus "The Mummy Collection" laserdisc box set, I was eager for a DVD release of "The Mummy's Hand" starring Tom Tyler, George Zucco and Peggy Moran (who, very sadly, passed away recently) and "The Mummy's Tomb" starring George Zucco, Turban Bey, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Elyse Knox (Mark Harmon's Mom). Apparently, according to other reviews here, in the first run of this DVD there was a formatting error, with the two features not in the correct order on the DVD top menu or title page. However, it must have been corrected in subsequent runs because when I put the DVD in the player the Title Menu displayed the films correctly and defaulted to the "The Mummy's Hand" (1940) first on the left and displaying "The Mummy's Tomb" (1942), to be watched second, on the right of the screen. Also, I had no problem getting back to the title page menu to watch the second film (and sequel) "The Mummy's Tomb. I used the "Top menu" (or title button some players) button from the menu page with my Toshiba player.
I thought the prints used were in good condition with "Hand" showing a little more wear than "Tomb". The dvd prints seemed almost identical to the Laserdisc edition. Maybe some small further scratches on "The Mummy's Hand", but the film was over 60 years old when the transfer was done (2001) and Universal did a commendable job. There was a scene from "The Mummy's Tomb" that was censored in 1942 and deleted from some theatrical and TV prints as well as the 1993 VHS edition release. Over a minute of the film, where the elderly character actress and Universal player Mary Gordon is strangled by the mummy (Lon Chaney, Jr.) was cut. It was restored to the 1994 Laserdisc box set edition and is included here. The print of "Tomb" was also cleaned up and is in very good condition. Sound restoration work is obvious on the audio tracks of both films. Dolby digital two channel mono English and Spanish soundtracks are included for both movies, plus English and French Subtitles. While light on extras, the dvd is a lot of fun and I am glad these films are available again for kids of all ages.

Horror Clasic's
The Mummy's Tomb, simply put it's more then a classic. Dick Foran, as Steve Banning, wonderful actor, and not forgetting Mr. George Zucco, also, of Sherlock Holmes, 1940's famed classic's. Mummy's Hand, a stand up movie in it's own right. Should I lose this DVD version I now own, I would purchase another! If your a true horror classic fan then this is a movie for you. I love it...

not a sequel
i like all 4 films featuring kharis, the mummy. but why do some reviewers call this a "sequel" or "follow-up" to karloff's 1932 mummy? the kharis films have nothing to do with the 1932 film.

Mummy's Hand a Classic --Mummy's Tomb has its moments
I'm sorry that Universal has stopped producing its deluxe DVD editions of its classic horror films. While it's nice getting two films for the price of one, I would have preferred that several of these films be issued individually with commentaries and a documentary. OK, not all the films in this last batch deserve that treatment but such beloved classics as Son of Frankenstein, Son of Dracula and Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman certainly do. No question The Black Cat should also be released in a deluxe edition (when they get around to releasing it) as it is one of the very greatest of all horror films. I would also argue that The Mummy's Hand is worthy of special treatment as it is a benchmark horror film and easily the best of its series (if you don't include the original The Mummy). For one thing, it established the whole mythology of Kharis and has influenced every mummy film made since. Universal's latest remake starring Brandon Frasier owes more to The Mummy's Hand than it does The Mummy. In fact, it's a remake that follows the 1940 film's storyline very closely. The films features a top-notch cast including George Zucco in what is arguably his most memorable role. The script combines horror and humor in a manner not unlike its 1999 remake. No actor has ever made a more frightening mummy than Tom Tyler - tremendous care was taken with the make-up and optical effects to make him look very ghoulish - and his facial expressions are much more restrained and effective than Chaney or the CGI mummy in the new films. Most of the music is lifted from Frank Skinner's score for Son of Frankenstein however H.J. Salter did contribute a few unforgettable cues that are now indelibly linked with Kharis and his romantic story. Fortunately, the film's lead actress is still with us and I wish Universal had taken advantage of the opportunity to interview Peggy Moran about her memories making this film as well as her other films at Universal in the early 40s. So few actors survive from these films that it seems a shame not to capture their stories on tape if they are willing to do so. Imagine the audio commentary she could have given us! I can't get very excited when it comes to the three Chaney mummy films although here again the studio should have invited Turhan Bey to record his recollections of working on the film. That would have been interesting - probably more so than the film itself. There are individual scenes in these Chaney films that I enjoy watching (the cemetery scenes in Tomb are beautifully done) but I can't sit through them complete without getting a little bored. Still, this is a very good DVD overall despite the lack of extras. I did notice a lot of wear on the print of Mummy's Hand. Maybe it's time Universal restore it. The Mummy's Tomb looked great. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

i dont recommend seeing ths movie unless you are Irish
The Molly Maguires is a movie that takes place in 1876 on an American coal mining town. The movie stars Sean Connery and co-stars Richard Harris. Sean Connery plays an Irish coal miner by the name of Jack Kehoe. He is the leader of an underground mining terrorist group. Richard Harris plays Irish man by the name of James McKenna/McParlan. Who is hired as a detective to rat out the Molly Maguires. I think the movie was well thought out just did not appeal to me. With visual aid it totally explained what Irish work life was like when they got to Ameica.

CAUTION: Not to be treated as History
The spirit of the industrial boom times is captured, but not in a factual way. With some exageration, and with few facts in order, scenes from the past brought alive in an excellent manner. Totally worth owning if you like action/suspense! Sean Connery does an excellent job, as usual, as does the late Richard Harris. Rumor, with good source, has it that during the making of this film, Harris went to a Hazleton, PA bar and 'hit' on somebody's wife, and was punched out on the spot. Hazleton, PA, is also the childhood home of Hollywood great, Jack Palance.

......But don't treat this movie as the gospel truth - it's not even close.

Viewed with prior knowledge of the period is the best way to go. Once again, Hollywood misfires its facts. Amid the Industrial Revolution, Irish Catholic, in addition to several other ethnic groups (the Irish certainly not the only ones in the mines at the time), worked in horrid conditions when having a job anywhere in the world was an accomplishment, wages were slim, and rarely was there enough to save. If you can justify the shootings and murders of people in order to exonerate a secret society, masked by an organization (the Ancient Order of Hibernians) that was supposed to be humanitarian - for other Irish Catholics.

This movie is not an accurate portrayal of events, but certainly is entertaining, with a very good glimpse of what coal mining was like for many ethnic groups, including: English, Scots, Welsh, Polish, Italian, German, Bulgarian, and Hungarian individuals, not just Irish Catholics. Granted, Irish were mistreated, giving Molly Maguires, who definitely existed, a Saintly Status (which is what some people want to do), is truly ridiculous. They were hanged, caught by another very similar to their own background, in a court system somewhat flawed, red-handed, at a time when few had any tolerance for outlaws and the violence they forced on honest, hardworking communities from many diverse backgrounds. Glorify the Mollies if you must, but don't confuse them with heroes in an objective light and expect to be treated seriously. Read up on it, even the local Catholic Priests condemned them by name, "Molly Maguires," making themselves targets and getting brutally beat up for it. Irish Catholics themselves considered Molly Maguire violence outrageous acts.

Excellent portrayal of Irish gangs and "Shillelagh Law"
This film tells the true story of an Irish gang or 'faction' which was active in the American labour movement in themid to late 1800's. It was brought over from Ireland and further took root among the Irish coal miners of Pennsylvania. Several books have been written about the Molly Maguires, but to understand them in-depth, you need to get the books "Understanding The Molly Maguires", and "Irish Gangs And Stick-Fighting". Martin Scorcese's "Gangs Of New York" is also about Irish gangs like the Mollies, but films usually don't do full justice to this topic. Get this great, very entertaining movie, but for the whole story get the books mentioned above as well.

The Molly Maguires, fact or fiction
Having seen this film several times I was very impressed by the acting, particulary Sean Connery and Richard Harris. The Cinemtography was superb, after all James Wong How was easily one of the greatest Cinematographers of the 20th Century. The music was fantascic and Henry Mancini captured the flavor of the 19th Century Irish. However, even though the script as script was powerful and compelling, it was more fiction than fact. Why is it that script writers must take such liberties with history?
The so-called Molly Maguires, a name invented by the publisher of the Miner's Journal newspaper, were in fact a group of men who were fighting for fair conditions in the coal mines, honest pay for honest work. Many of the men, though certainly not all, hanged were, in fact, innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. These brave men gave their lives for a movement that would eventually lead to the United Mine Workers of America. However, this being said, the movie is entertaining and certainly worth watching even if only to watch Connery, Harris and the beautiful Anjanette Comer.

A Socialist (...) Film
This film is loosely based on the historical Molly Maguires of Pennsylvania, a secret group of Irish immigrant criminals who terrorized the anthracite coal fields after the Civil War.

In this fictionalized film version, the Molly Maguires are sympathetically portrayed as victimized miners trying to start a labor union. As a matter of fact, however, most of the Molly Maguires who were hanged were not employed as miners, but as saloon-keepers and small-time politicians, and they were condemned by the real miner's union because of the terrorism and cold-blooded murders they committed. The screenplay author who wrote the script for this film and co-produced it, Walter Bernstein, was once a member of the American Communist Party and was blacklisted during the Hollywood red scare. The movie director, Martin Ritt, was also a blacklisted leftist. Be forewarned, this movie is essentially left-wing propoganda with little similarity to actual history. The cinematography and sets are excellent, and the soundtrack by Henry Mancini is very enjoyable. The acting of Sean Connery and Richard Harris, and the effectiveness of their "Irish brogues," are so-so. ... Read more

Description

Slapstick prevails when Jacques Tati's eccentric hero Monsieur Hulot is let loose in the ultramodern house of his brother-in-law, and in an antiseptic factory that manufactures plastic hose. Tati directs and stars in the second entry of the Hulot series, a delightful satire of mechanized living. Academy Award winner, Best Foreign Film. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Tati's Wise and Wonderful Comedy.
In looking at the other reviews of "Mon Oncle", it would seem that people either love or hate this movie. From my 5-star rating, you can see that I am in the former category. I fail to understand how a film can be called boring, when it is so full of life, and witty observations. Rather than feeling that it was too long, I was sorry when it was over.

In "Mon Oncle", the well-meaning, but dim-witted M. Hulot comes face to face with modern living and technology. His brother-in-law is an affluent executive with a plastics company, and owns a state-of-the-art home, full of amazing gadgets. The house is also a tasteless nightmare, devoid of warmth and comfort, with a "garden" to match. You will not soon forget the atrocious fountain, with a huge, metal fish spewing water into the air--but only to impress important guests, of course. In this concrete monstrosity, the couple are also attempting to raise a small boy, who understandably has more fun away from the place, with his uncle Hulot.

Tati is constantly contrasting old-fashioned, small-town life with urban "progress". In addition to the "house from hell", we see the huge, boring factory where Hulot's brother-in-law works, and where he tries, with hilarious lack of success, to land M. Hulot a job. Meanwhile, back at the ranch--er house--we have the outdoor party scene, with a bizarre group of co-workers and neighbours desperately trying to look important and convivial. Of course, Hulot unwittingly undermines the whole celebration, with a little help from that hideous fountain.

There are a number of scenes of children being--well--children--playing tricks on unsuspecting people. Some scene-stealing dogs are also part of the mix.

The DVD is impressive--colours are excellent--the sound naturally is mono. There is a touching introduction by Terry Jones, the well-known director and Monty Python graduate. Also included is an early short film with Tati called "School for Postmen" which is very amusing--a nice bonus.

For those people who consider "Mon Oncle" to be a comedy masterpiece, I agree completely. If you like Tati and his unforgettable creation, M. Hulot, this disc has to be in your collection.

My favorite movie....
I suppose I am out of touch with "the 90s" in that I detest movies where most of the jokes are based on bodily functions. (Flatulence jokes just aren't funny to me.) I love Mon Oncle because it is a physical comedy - in fact, there is extremely little dialog - and yet it is not insulting to the intelligence. Jacques Tati (one of the great comedians) is M. Hulot, an enigmatic, silent man who lives a quiet, calm life. Dismayed and uncomprehending of his sister's "moderne" life, Hulot strikes up a friendship with his nephew. Some of the best scenes are when the boy leaves his sterile, plastic "hygenic" world for the more earthy but enjoyable world that Hulot occupies (it is as if a small piece of Old France is hanging on in the middle of Paris - the old butcher shops, the cobbled streets). The boy's mother cannot understand why her son would prefer "old things" to the new, modern style.

There is a lot of humor in the movie - lots of Keaton-esque sight gags when Hulot tries to deal with the modern appliances in his sister's house - but underneath the humor there is a sweetness and a yearning and a recognition that the new ways aren't always better than the old. This is a movie with humor and heart.

True, it is more slow-paced than recent comedies (which may be what the reviewer who thought it "THE MOST BORING MOVIE" was used to), but if you allow yourself to relax and appreciate the slow pace, it's a beautiful and brilliant movie.

The adjective "Zen-like" is most overused today, or else I would describe watching this movie as a "Zen-like" experience. It got into my mind and changed me. And I am not a fan of movies, there are very few I like enough to watch through once, let alone repeatedly.

a nice sequel to M. Hulot's Holiday
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

Mon Oncle or "My Uncle" again follows Msr. Hulot when he visits the then-modern home of his brother-in-law. There he gets into mischief with his nephew. He later inadvertently creates havoc at a rubber hose factory also. The film is second in a series of four movies three of which have been released by the Criterion Collection.

The film has many items featured that I was not aware existed at the time. These incldue an electric garage door at a residential home that has a motion detector to open the door.

The Criterion DVD also contains an introduction to the film by Terry Jones and there is also a short film, "L'école des facteurs" or "Postman School" which is also quite good.

This DVD was out of print for a while but was reissued in February 2004

Charmed
My children(19 and 8) and I borrowed the most recent dvd version of Mon Oncle from our local library. We were charmed. Watching various visitors to the garden navigating the stepping-stones was marvelous.
Gerard waiting to whistle at passersby was hilarious. (My children and I were wishing we could add our coins to the pot.)
What a perfect picture of a boy being a boy.
We loved the dachshund in his bothersome coat leading the other dogs around town.
Tati was certainly a genius of detail.

The reason for just four stars...My children prefer Les Vacances.

Human unrelations satirized perfectly
I watched this film after seeing my wife's all time favorite, Les Vacances Monsieur Hulot. Bumbling slapstick, nearly as silent film, is used to parodize the era of the happy middleclass housewife of the fifties with all her new appliances, her husband with all his gadgets, and to throw sarcasm at efficient production at the expense of human relations. I don't know of a film that does a better job of this. the ending is happy, with the absent gadget-focused father finally discovering the joy of having a playful young son. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Sets by David Hockney
If anyone has managed to find this listing, this is the Met production with the sets by David Hockney. Pamina is sung by Kathleen Battle and Sarastro by Kurt Moll. Other singers are Luciana Serra (the Queen of Night), Francisco Araiza(Pamino), Manfred Heim (Papageno), and Heinz Zednik (Monostratos); conducted by James Levine of course. The DVD has subtitles in German (hallelujah!), English, French, and Chinese, but no other extras. The singing sounds weak, but that may be because I'm used to other recordings in which the singers are over-miked. Otherwise, it's good performance of "The Magic Flute".

Simply Fantastic!
I have just watched this performance, and I have to say that this is simply fantastic. The characters that really stand out from the show are Manfred Hemm's Papageno and Luciana Serra's Queen of the Night.

Hemm delivers the best Papageno I have ever seen, with not only a great voice (solid baritone - lovely!) and also commendable comic acting. Serra blew me away the moment she sang her first aria "O zittre nicht mein lieber Sohn..." It is note-perfect and flawless. She sings those scales as if they are a piece of cake, and she hits the high F perfectly, even in "Der Holle Rache". She falters just a teeny weeny little bit in the latter, but perhaps I'm picky. I've been wanting to find the perfect recording of "Der Holle Rache", but I haven't been in luck yet. (the version sung in the movie "Amadeus" was pitch-perfect, but incomplete and not available in the soundtrack.) But understandably, the Queen of the Night is one of the most difficult opera parts to sing, and Serra already pulls it off remarkably well, delivering an overall brilliant and astounding performance. (I thought she looked beautiful as QOTN too.) Of course, besides these two, there's Kathleen Battle as Pamina, perfect as always, Francisco Araiza as Tamino and Kurt Moll as Sarastro to look out for.

I have to share 4 of my favourite scenes here. 2 belong to the Queen of the Night's 2 arias, 1 is the scene where Monostato's slaves and himself are under a spell from Papageno's Glockenspiel, and they really "totter" away harmlessly. That scene is absolutely hilarious, with them going "lalalala" and dancing away, exiting at stage right. The final one is the finale duet with Papageno and Papagena (Barbara Kilduff)in "Pa-pagena! Pa-Pageno!". Hemm's and Kilduff's voices blend very well together. I love that song.

Thumbs up to this beautifully recorded performance, conducted by James Levine. I highly recommend this recording. It is definitely worth the money, and worth rewatching again and again.

My favourite flute ever....
I am a long time magic flute lover, who has heard or owned most of the major recording out there. Recently I started buying Mozart opera DVD's as they were good to introduce friends to the operas. I first bought the recent Davis/Royal Opera version, but found it a very mixed bag, so I decided to go for this one since Kurt Moll was always my favorite Sarastro on record and he sings the part here (The Sarastro on Davis was very dissapointing).

The bad news is that Moll is not in quite as good voice as he was in either his Solti or Davis CD audio only performances. The good news is that he is still magnificent, and this is the best Zauberflote I have ever heard!

I never had much respect for James Levine as a conductor. Well that has changed. For reference, my favorite flute's ever were 1)Christie on Erato 2)Klemperer on EMI 3)Beecham on EMI. All had there problems, but Christie I found to be the overall best flute I knew including all cast, conducting, acting, and recording. And it has been replaced by a DVD flute!

What I loved about this performance:

First of all the conducting is very fine. It is very sharp and disciplined performance with precise singing (litte romantic sliding of notes) and there is, best of all, a wonderful sense of listening between all the singers and the orcherstra. It was obviously meticulously rehearsed for the 1991 Mozart celebrations. Mozart is the most difficult music to perform because you cannot get away with any emotional sloppiness, which means a luminous precision is always called for. This performance has this quality better than any other I know.

There are some weak bits in my opinion however. A few of the arias really drag their feet in a failed attempt for the conductor and singer to find the right inspiration. As much as I like Moll, I find his arias too slowly sung, as well as the Isis and Osiris chorale. Fortunately they still are very effective due to Moll's maginificent voice and the solemn nature of the music itself.

Also, occasionally things can be a bit brisk to let the music breathe properly. Overall however, I would give this flute the best marks for conducting.

The singing/acting also has no weak links and many outstanding aspects.

Ariaza's Tamino is merely good--at his best with the speaker, and worst in final union music with Pamina. After the first trial he slightly misses a key timing, which when sung perfectly (hear Blochwitz on Christie) is one of the most sublime moments in the score. Still, this is a good, solid Tamino--well acted, suitably noble if a bit too old. Overall:B-

The three ladies are some of the most delightful I've heard. The 2nd has a slightly grating tone, but their timing, harmoninzing, and accuracy puts them right at the top. A-

Papageno is solid if rather a bit overdone. Hemm has a lusty, solid bavarian baritone which suits the part in my opinion. It is not a radiantly beautiful voice (hear Keenlyside on Davis), but solid and powerful. Many papageno's have been more charming, but Hemm is still good, and very find in ensembles. B

Serra's Queen is up near my all time favorites: Popp on Klemperer, Dessay on Christie, Damrau on Davis. She rather lacks warmth however, which puts her slightly below these on the first aria. The 2nd is as good as anyone. A-

Battle's Pamina is my favorite ever. I feel it was this sort of voice Mozart had in mind for the part--a radiant soprano. Battle's interpretive insights have often left me cold before, but I find her Pamina just spot on. She plays it with a Tempest Miranda sort of innocence and wornder. I find this suits Pamina exactly. A+

Monostatos is also the best I have ever heard. Singers tend to make him rather bland for some reason, but this singer gives him oodles of dramatic force. A+

Boys are superb. Their trio with battle's Pamina is the finest I have known as well. One boy in particular has amazing power and accuracy. A

Sarastro is Moll not in his best voice, but it is still Moll. A

Choir. Big American heavy vibrato style. Not my cup of tea, but more importantly the choral pieces are sung with genuine Masonic fervor that makes them satisfying regardless. B

Speaker. Andreas Schmidt is as fine here as I have ever heard him. Wonderful warmth and force. A

This is getting too long! While there is much in this performance that I still can imagine better, in overall quality this is by some margin the best performance I have heard or seen of this opera. Certainly those who love particular parts more than others will find other performances superior (Tamino lovers for instance will always treasure Wunderlich/Bohm), but if you love every note of this opera as well as its Masonic themes, I would give this the top recommendation.

O, A+ english subtitles too. Video,sound and production are good, though not the best in my opinion. Overall the production has a sort of childish artistic style to it, which I thought was fine. But then Im mostly here for the music.

Musically the best flute ever....
I am a long time magic flute lover, who has heard or owned most of the major recording out there. Recently I started buying Mozart opera DVD's as they were good to introduce friends to the operas. I first bought the recent Davis/Royal Opera version, but found it a very mixed bag, so I decided to go for this one since Kurt Moll was always my favorite Sarastro on record and he sings the part here (The Sarastro on Davis was very dissapointing).

The bad news is that Moll is not in quite as good voice as he was in either his Solti or Davis CD audio only performances. The good news is that he is still magnificent, and this is the best Zauberflote I have ever heard!

I never had much respect for James Levine as a conductor. Well that has changed. For reference, my favorite flute's ever were 1)Christie on Erato 2)Klemperer on EMI 3)Beecham on EMI. All had there problems, but Christie I found to be the overall best flute I knew including all cast, conducting, acting, and recording. And it has been replaced by a DVD flute!

What I loved about this performance:

First of all the conducting is very fine. It is very sharp and disciplined performance with precise singing (litte romantic sliding of notes) and there is, best of all, a wonderful sense of listening between all the singers and the orcherstra. It was obviously meticulously rehearsed for the 1991 Mozart celebrations. Mozart is the most difficult music to perform because you cannot get away with any emotional sloppiness, which means a luminous precision is always called for. This performance has this quality better than any other I know.

There are some weak bits in my opinion however. A few of the arias really drag their feet in a failed attempt for the conductor and singer to find the right inspiration. As much as I like Moll, I find his arias too slowly sung, as well as the Isis and Osiris chorale. Fortunately they still are very effective due to Moll's maginificent voice and the solemn nature of the music itself.

Also, occasionally things can be a bit brisk to let the music breathe properly. Overall however, I would give this flute the best marks for conducting.

The singing/acting also has no weak links and many outstanding aspects.

Ariaza's Tamino is merely good--at his best with the speaker, and worst in final union music with Pamina. After the first trial he slightly misses a key timing, which when sung perfectly (hear Blochwitz on Christie) is one of the most sublime moments in the score. Still, this is a good, solid Tamino--well acted, suitably noble if a bit too old. Overall:B-

The three ladies are some of the most delightful I've heard. The 2nd has a slightly grating tone, but their timing, harmoninzing, and accuracy puts them right at the top. A-

Papageno is solid if rather a bit overdone. Hemm has a lusty, solid bavarian baritone which suits the part in my opinion. It is not a radiantly beautiful voice (hear Keenlyside on Davis), but solid and powerful. Many papageno's have been more charming, but Hemm is still good, and very find in ensembles. B

Serra's Queen is up near my all time favorites: Popp on Klemperer, Dessay on Christie, Damrau on Davis. She rather lacks warmth however, which puts her slightly below these on the first aria. The 2nd is as good as anyone. A-

Battle's Pamina is my favorite ever. I feel it was this sort of voice Mozart had in mind for the part--a radiant soprano. Battle's interpretive insights have often left me cold before, but I find her Pamina just spot on. She plays it with a Tempest Miranda sort of innocence and wornder. I find this suits Pamina exactly. A+

Monostatos is also the best I have ever heard. Singers tend to make him rather bland for some reason, but this singer gives him oodles of dramatic force. A+

Boys are superb. Their trio with battle's Pamina is the finest I have known as well. One boy in particular has amazing power and accuracy. A

Sarastro is Moll not in his best voice, but it is still Moll. A

Choir. Big American heavy vibrato style. Not my cup of tea, but more importantly the choral pieces are sung with genuine Masonic fervor that makes them satisfying regardless. B

Speaker. Andreas Schmidt is as fine here as I have ever heard him. Wonderful warmth and force. A

This is getting too long! While there is much in this performance that I still can imagine better, in overall quality this is by some margin the best performance I have heard or seen of this opera. Certainly those who love particular parts more than others will find other performances superior (Tamino lovers for instance will always treasure Wunderlich/Bohm), but if you love every note of this opera as well as its Masonic themes, I would give this the top recommendation.

O, A+ english subtitles too. Video,sound and production are good, though not the best in my opinion. Overall the production has a sort of childish artistic style to it, which I thought was fine. But then Im mostly here for the music.

This is getting absolutely Ridiculous!!!
Why are these people objecting to a black Pamina when numerous white sopranos sing Aida, Turandot, Butterfly etc. You racist bigots with warped morals!!! Utter shame on all of you! ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Interesting but seriously flawed
INDECENT PROPOSAL is one of those formularized, supposedly heartfelt movies told in one mess of a tale. It starts off with a couple (Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson) struggling to make ends meet and just as they are about to drown in debt, they hit the jackpot in Vegas and then lose all their winnings again. As they are about to hit rock bottom, Robert Redford, a multi-billionaire, comes into their lives to give them a chance to get one million dollars. The catch: Redford "borrow" Woody's wife for one night. They agree, but this of course changes the course of their relationship forever. Woody Harrelson is truly miscast in a role too serious for him, making some scenes unintentionally funny. Yet the other two leads help keep this vechicle interesting. Despite the limited success of the script, it remains as a flawed but ambitious work.

A treasure
This movie is definitely a treasure, beautifully acted, beautifully filmed, its the kind of movie that stays with you. I can't say much about the movie that hasn't already been said except that I recommend the soundtrack also, the movie score is excellent.

How can any female viewer....
of this movie not be angry about this film? Come on, Robert Redford asks Woody Harrelson to sell him his wife for a million bucks. HELLO? Can't Demi have an opinion on that? In the billiard room scene the two men talk about Demi as if she is some sexual pleasuring device. Plus, there is a microphone in the picture for about 3 minutes.
Other then that, the film is entertaining, but that is only because Robert Redford is in it. Brilliant casting, who needs a million bucks reward to sleep with RR, especially when compared to Woody.
Demi knows that, Robert knows that and the (female) viewer knows that. Poor Woody marvels what went wrong for a bit too long to come over as at least decent intelligent.
Good thing is that we never see Demi and Robert "doing it".
All in all the movie works in favour of RR, and that is not a bad thing.
Yeah, I know my english is bad :)

I'd like to make a proposal,remake the movie with Demi & I !
Demi Moore is a housewife who goes to Vegas with her husband and loses all their money at the casino. A rich tycoon (Redford) offers a proposal. One night in bed with the man's wife (Demi) for a big wad of money. She accepts...however, after the smoke clears, the husband suspects that his wife is still seeing the tycoon & ends up divorcing her. She runs to the tycoon to start a new relationship. Will money buy her the happiness she seeks? Find out for yourself!

Was it really so indecent?
Adrian Lyne is truely a master at exploiting human emotions. In this powerful movie he adds the bonus of 'easy money' in the form of one million dollars to a stuggling couple if the lady is willing to spend just one night with him.. We are all to assume that one night is all the billionaire really wants. "The night will come and go but the money could last a lifetime" he explains, but in a true Coen brothers twist, money proves to be the root of all evil. The irony being, that once the night passes, and the relationship deteriorates, neither of them want the money. The only real flaw in the movie is the fact that neither member of this relatively intelligent couple are able to see what the billionaires alterior motive is.
All through this movie I kept wondering what I would do in the same situation. Now I'm not married but maybe if I were I would look at it differently but right now, I would probably take the money. The reason being that I think I'm mature and responsible enough to deal with it.... But then again, dont we all. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

A good film, but nothing special
It seems like every few years now another neo-nazi movie comes out. The last one was American History X and before that Romper Stomper and Made in Britain way before that. Now it's the The Believer. As you probably already know, this movie is about a jewish neo-nazi, which of course, doesn't make any sense. This was a good movie all around but what makes worth watching is Ryan Gosling's performance. Maybe people don't know or remember but he was in Remember the Titans as one of the extras for the football team. Come to think of it, Ethan Suplee from American History X is also in Remember the Titans, how strange. Anyway Ryan Gosling has been compared to Robert DeNiro's character Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver which is totally appropiate considering this was one of the best performances I've ever seen. Ryan Gosling totally gets lost in his part completely out-doing any of the supporting actors in the film, including Billy Zane. I mean, he makes them look bad, he's that good. However, aside from the fantastic performance given there is nothing else special about this movie. There is nothing that's going to make you want to watch it again and again. There wasn't even that much violence, which I thought was odd for a skinhead movie. Yes, there is racism but it seems muted amongst the skinhead's extreme hatred for jews. There's hardly a mention of other minorities and only one scene actually inlcudes them the group's agenda. Other than that, it's jews, jews and more jews. It's kind of noticable that in every neo-nazi movie there's always one main target and all other minorities are insignifacant. American History X it was blacks, Romper Stomper it was asians and now it's jews. I guess that's understandable because the main character is jewish, after all. So anyway, this is definately a movie to see, you should check it out from the video store, but it's not worth buying. Like I said, there's nothing special about this movie that makes it better than so many others. You may not even want to watch it twice, there's just no motivation.

I believe it's good
Okay, I'll get the cliche out of the way right now: "The Believer" is a thought-provoking movie. Love it or hate it (and this is a movie that could easily inspire both views), "The Believer" will almost certainly make you think. Telling the story of a Jewish neo-Nazi named Danny Balint, the movie is a harrowing examination of the nature of belief and self-perception, every bit as provocative and hard-hitting as the better-known "American History X." Although the idea of a Jew who hates his own people may seem contradictory, the movie reconciles it very well. Through frequent flashbacks to Danny's Yeshiva class, the audience sees that Danny feels God is a bully and the entire history of the Jewish people is one of weakness and submission. Although much of his propaganda is just tired repetition of Nazi beliefs, Ryan Gosling's performance invests what he says with undeniable conviction. Danny's hatred is deeply rooted in his childhood experiences, and unlike many of his skinhead bullies, he *believes*. At the same time, Danny seems conflicted about what exactly it is that he believes. In one scene vitriolic anti-Semitic sentiments are pouring out of his mouth, in another he's repairing a sacred Jewish scroll that his friends have damaged. No matter how hard Danny tries to reject his roots, it seems the connection to them is too strong to sever completely. I think what "The Believer" was trying to get at is the confusion young people experience between accepting what they're taught and forging their own beliefs. Danny clearly has strong feelings and wants to believe *something*, but is having trouble figuring out what it is. In that sense, "The Believer" is about as apt a title for a movie as I've ever heard. It can be viewed in its most obvious form as a cautionary tale about the seductive nature and the dangerous potential of hatred, but that's a somewhat narrow view. What I thought the makers of the film were really going for was an examination of the difficulty young people can have in finding both their place in the world and their own belief system. But whichever way you look at it, "The Believer" is a gripping view, and highly recommended.

Mesmerizing script!
This film is deeply disturbing. We are in front of one of the challenging works made from the independent films. Winner of the Sundance in 2001 ; the movie deals about an outlaw from the jew religion who decides to make a breakthrough with his past traditions seeking for answers . He's a very clever man and very often he made extreme questions to his teachers.
So he makes the whole cycle and becomes Nazi as a rebelness signal , but his memories are stronger and keeps in the deep of his soul respect from the learned traditions . The dialogues are a real tour de force , and there are many disturbing questions without answers.
And since the movie has rapture moments that will remind you to Taxi Driver and American Story X, the film is far beyond from the other two, and it demands a major attention from you.
One of the most powerful cult movies from this new century!

Can't take your eyes away from the screen
this movie was amazing, i literally couldn't take my eyes away from it. Ryan Gosling does an amazing job this movie proves that he is truely is a great actor. the entire cast was great and the director made the movie very believeable and makes it look almost like their following a real life story happening at that very time. all i can say is that the movie was amazing along with the cast but mainly Ryan Gosling!!!

..........there's nothing up there, Danny...........
The story of Danny Balint, a young and intelligent neo-nazi that is recruited by an ambitious neo-fascist organization. The only problem lies within Danny's paradoxical secret: he's jewish.

Danny is just one of many intelligent thinkers that end up renouncing their religion in the spirit of "free-thinking". In Danny's case, he begins to hate Judaism so much that the only alternative for him seems to join the ranks amongst the opposing side. But even surrounded by those with similar opinions, Danny cannot seem to escape the ignorance that he feels plagues society. Immersed in idiotic nazi philosophy, he begins to despise his new peers as much as his heritage. Danny's problem is that he just hates everyone, especially himself. Never really belonging in the world and plagued by his own consciousness, is there no redemption for the troubled young man?

Superb acting from Ryan Gosling (Murder by Numbers) as Danny Balint. The scene in the coffee shop.......one take focused on Danny as he spits his rhetoric....brilliant. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Hilariously Funny!!!!
This is a funny movie from start to finish it is about Gene Wilder and his friends as they cheat on their mates and the consequences that they pay for doing this it stars Gene Wilder, Kelly LeBrock, and Gene's wife Gilda Radner this movie is good from start to finish I love this whole movie this is a hilariously funny I love it and I enjoy it so therefore I would reccommend anyone who likes Gene Wilder to buy this video because it is so funny and you will enjoy it is so very funny and I would reccommend anyone who likes comedy to purchase it this movie will make you laugh from beginning to end!!!!

Still Entertaining
I have seen "The Woman In Red" back in the 80's, and I just bought the DVD recently when it came out. Watching it again did not seem as joyful as it did 15 years ago. Anyway, it was worth watching.

Special Treat
There is a cool little thing that happens in this movie and you won't want to miss it. They show Kelly LeBrock's bush.

Magical, Musical Mayhem......
LeBrock & Wilder, the most unlikely of couples are thrown together through a tram-re-launch advertising campaign, run by Wilder. Wilder with his spark of romance long extinguished through his 'very ordinary' marriage to Judith Ivey and his fashion sense lodged 10 years in the past embarks on a comedy of errors as he attempts to woo the sparkling LeBrock. The supporting cast are superb as a constant supply of fuel for Wilders amazing comedic skills. His observation of the male ego when it comes into contact with a beautiful woman is incisive and uncomfortably familiar. With an accompanying soundtrack by the legendary Stevie Wonder, this movie stands out as one of the unsung heroes of the eighties, the irony being that 'I just called to say I love you' was one of the most sung hits of the decade. A valued addition to any Video collection, which should be visited on regular basis.

Bright, breeezy, BEAUTIFUL!
An excellent comedy which makes the most out of Gene Wilder's considerable comic talent. THE WOMAN IN RED is a charming, simple romp following the adventures of shy Teddy who is infatuated with a beautiful model (Le Brock - so who can blame him! )Wilder is just so funny from when he shows himself as the world's worst horserider (who used to teach it to earn pocket money, of course!), to throwing a mock tantrum in his bath or verbalising his pseudonym (Irving...Julius Irving) to a hotel keeper. The picture remains a treasure with fine visual gags and Stevie Wonder's fabulous theme song "I Just Called To Say I Love You." So, if you need an added sparkle in your day see it...or see it again! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jeremy Davies is a different kind of American in Paris. In the heady days of 1969, this aspiring director edits a silly sci-fi spy adventure by day while spending his nights obsessively filming his own life, much to the frustration of his stewardess girlfriend (Elodie Bouchez), who tires of his using his camera to avoid intimacy. First-time director Roman Coppola (son of Francis) creates a slight but fun picture steeped in 1960s movie lore: the film-within-a-film is a pop-art spectacle that recalls Barbarella, Modesty Blaise, and Danger: Diabolique, while its Italian producer (Giancarlo Giannini) is a high-living Dino De Laurentiis. If the film is slight, the details are right, from the opulent and outrageous sets to the meticulously retro special effects to the groovy music by Mellow. You could think of CQ as Coppola's 8½, about a man so busy filming his life he forgets to live. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Roman Coppola's Interesting Homage to the Time of Barbarella
"CQ" is the first feature film directed by Roman Coppola, son of much famous director Francis Ford. But you should forget that fact for a while, and enjoy the strange world of the 1960s he created for the film.

The film is set in Paris in 1969, the time of revolution. An American film editor Paul (Jeremy Davis) is working for a small studio there hired by an Italian producer (Giancarlo Giannini, "Hannibal"). At his small flat, with his camera, Paul keeps on filming his own life, or making a film about the "truth" of life -- meaning cinema verite, you got it? -- while his sweet French girlfriend is not so enthusiastic about his works. Well, his life seems going nowhere when suddenly he is given a chance: a chance to direct a grade B-Sci-fi movie "Dragonfly" (not that Kevin's film). But there is one big trouble. They could not find the right ending of the film yet.

Coppola's "CQ" proceeds side by side with Paul's film-within-film "Dragonfly," featuring the titular female spy, who looks as if coming straight from "Modesty Blaise" and "Barbarella." Paul is absorbed in making this film, and drawn to the heroine (and its actress Valentine, perfectly played by Angela Lindvall) while his own life, especially the relations with his girlfriend, begins gradually to play the secondary role.

Even if you are not particularly a fan of the films of the late 60s, you'll soon find that the greatest virtue of "CQ" lies in its re-creation of the psychedelic fashion and energetic atomosphere of the time. Cheep-looking, but strangely amusing production designs, and delightfully quirky costumes of "Dragonfly" would be joyful to you, especially when you have some knowledge about the time of Yellow Submarine even though Paul's own story is, compared with the detailed images of "Dragonfly," weak and uninteresting.

You can, however, find lots of intriguing reference to the films in the past, and its interesting cast are really helpful. See. for example, the faces of Billy Zane, Jason Schwartzman, Gerard Depardieu, Sophia Coppola, Dean Stockwell, and John Phillip Law (who was in, yes, "Barbarella"). The film (I mean the entire "CQ" and "Dragonfly") is sometimes too self-indulgent, but the first-time player Lindvall is so credible as beautiful Dragonfly/Valentine that if you fondly remember that constumes of Jane Fonda, you will love her anyway. And the French group Mellow's soundtrack, which might remind you of the music of the Beatles of post-Sgt. Pepper era, is another merit of the film.

CQ, Dragonfly, & A 1st Time Directors' Vision
Cheeky, cheesy, funny, and thoughtful! I discovered this small gem of a film and rented it w/no idea of it except for what the back cover disclosed. Upon initial reading, I thought it might be akin to the "Matt Helm" or "Flynnt" films of the 1960's with a twist or a spoof of the spy film genre. I was wrong.

It's Roman Coppola's (