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The Philadelphia Experiment takes as its jumping-off point an incident that is now paranormal legend, the U.S. Navy's supposed 1943 inductionof an extremely powerful electromagnetic field around a destroyer in Philadelphia, causing its crew to become transparent, go insane, burst into flames, and so forth. The movie takes the tack that this was to render the ship invisible to radar, because of the war that was on. The test goes awry, however, and two of the crew leap forward in time to the filmmakers' present tense, 1984, where a similar experiment has caused a vortex that has trapped the 1943 ship and its crew along with a small Nevada town. The key to unbollixing this sad time-fracture lies in our heroes, the two time-travelling crew members, David Herdeg (MichaelParé) and Jim Parker (Bobby Di Cicco), whose electromagnetic instabilitykeeps drawing them painfully back to the vortex to set things straight. This is silly stuff, but it's very fun silly stuff. One might cavil at gaps in plot logic, such as when Michael Paré seeks out the '80s version of his partner and finds more or less a trauma patient, while subsequent action contradicts this characterization. Still, there are plenty of still-worthy special effects, creating the requisite sense of awe and wonder. And for romantic interest, there's Nancy Allen's '80s girl paired with Michael Paré, affording plenty of amusing occasions for culture comparisons, most notably when Paré sees Ronald Reagan on TV, says, "Hey,I know that guy!" and refuses to believe he's president. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Exciting !
The Philadelphia Experiment, based on a true story, was a military experiment in WWII. The idea was to make a battle ship, stationed in Philadelphia, invisible for the enemies and radars. But the mission failed and two sailers make a time travel in our present.

I like time travel science fiction movies. The movie has very good actors (Michael Pare and Nancy Allen), an exciting plot and an interesting soundtrack.

The executive producer was John Carpenter and you will remark his present in the movie making.

SHIP AHOY
When it comes to time travel on the screen, there have been many, many attempts. My favorite is the STAR TREK episode in which Shatner travels back in time, falls in love with Joan Collins, and she gets killed, and he has to leave her behind. In THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT, things turn out a little better for the timecrossed lovers. Based on what was supposedly a real experiment in 1943, the movie chronicles the fate of Michael Pare and Bobby DiCicco, who during the experiment in Philadelphia find themselves in 1984 Nevada. Somehow the same scientist who did the 1943 experiment is still at it, trying to make a town invisible. In doing so, he opens a vortex that brings the two 40s soldiers to modern times. Pare falls in love with the wonderful Nancy Allen (CARRIE, BLOWOUT, DRESSED TO KILL), and their romance is a key element in the eventual climax.
The special effects are commendable for a 1984 movie; the direction is adequate, and most of the performances very good. Nancy combines her naivete with those lovely eyes to make a wonderful heroine, and Michael Pare shows a good range of emotion in trying to decide where he truly belongs.
This is one of the better time travel movies, and inspired a sequel with Brad Johnson.

A nice little twisted time travel tale (that is not true)
"The Philadelphia Experiment" is supposedly the about an experiment the U.S. Navy conducted in 1943 to make the U.S.S. "Eldridge" invisible to radar. However, the experiment goes (surprise) horribly wrong and the ship is contaminated with a deadly dose of radiation. Two of the sailors, David Herdeg (Michael Paré) and Jim Parker (Bobby Di Cicco), jump overboard as their crewmates are catching on fire and getting trapped in bulkheads and end up traveling through a rift in time to 1984 (i.e., the present in terms of that being the year this movie was made). One of them gets sent back but the other does not and not only are the authorities after him but it seems that pesky hole in time is wrecking havoc with the climate (not as bad as "The Day After Tomorrow," but serious enough).

This is a fun little B-movie that most science fiction fans can enjoy as long as they do not take it too seriously. The reason it is considered to be based on a "true" story is that it is based on a 1979 "non-fiction" book that claimed the Navy was fooling around with Einstein's Unified Field Theory and sent the "Eldridge" from Philadelphia to the harbor in Norfolk, Virginia, and then back again. The story is based on some dubious evidence and apparently since the U.S.S. "Eldridge" never ever docked at the Philadelphia Naval Yard the title appears to be suspect as well. The Navy has offered an official explanation that what happened was a routine degaussing of the ship, which meant it was surrounded with electrical cables to negate the magnetic field (the idea is that it would render the ship invisible to radar but not to human eyes). Of course to some people this explanation just screams cover up.

Ultimately this film is not concerned with the "science" of the so-called experiment because that is all just an excuse for a more traditional time travel story and within that genre there are few interesting things going on here. There are some fun moments as Herdeg encounters the brave new world (Orwell's "1984" did not come out until 1948, so he does not know that the future is brighter than people had thought in the 1940s). Herdeg hooks up with an airhead, Allison Hayes (Nancy Allen), who eventually comes to believe that he is not lying about when he is from and tries to help him get back home. It is just as well because there is really no chemistry between these two. After "Eddie & the Cruisers" and "Streets of Fire" we all thought Paré was going to have a career, but this film seems to have derailed it. Come to think of it the same can be said for Allen, outside of the "Robocop" movies.

The special effects are rather simplistic, but quite effective for the time. They were certainly good enough to lure more than a few people into seeing this film from director Stewart Raffill ("The Ice Pirates," "Mac and Me"). Plus you have the standard lesson than there are some things scientists should not be messing around with otherwise a wormhole will destroy the world as we know it, which was not really an omnipresent science fiction plot line at that point (CGI made destroying the planet much more fun). There is a 1993 sequel to this film, but try to forget about it because it belongs on everyone's short list of worst science fiction sequels ever. This one at least gives you some things to think about, not all of which are about how to poke holes in the story.

good movie - BAD DVD
I am a 29 year old man who remebered this movie fondly from my childhood. So i pointed, clicked and oredered it up. I was horrified the instant the menu came up on screen and the option to start the movie was spelled wrong, it read "STRAT MOVIE". This should give you some idea as to the level of care and attention that went into the production of this inferior product.
The picture quality was unforgivable. Usually a bad transfer doesnt bother me that much as long as I can see whats going on, but this movie transfer is pathetic. I am not kidding when I say that you are better off ordering a clean VHS copy than wasting your time and money on this DVD. It was absolutely unwatchable on my widescreen TV, I eventually had to put it in my computer to watch it as the "pixelization" was so bad ... consider youself warned.....

Excellent B Movie
I remember seeing this movie for the first time when I was about 9. It certainly piqued my interest in the paranormal, but at the time, I was unaware that the movie was based on alleged experiments by the US Navy. It's a B-sci fi movie complete with silly exaggerations, decent special effects, general cheesiness and the inevitable romance that ensues - in this case between a skeptical Nancy Allen and a confused Michael Pare. This movie is not to be taken very seriously.

If you are looking for mindless entertaiment, this is an excellent movie to satisfy your craving. It may even spark an interest in reading further about the allegedly real Philadelphia Experiment. ... Read more

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Winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay, this critical and box-office hit from 1973 provided a perfect reunion for director George Roy Hill and stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford, who previously delighted audiences with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Set in 1936, the movie's about a pair of Chicago con artists (Newman and Redford) who find themselves in a high-stakes game against the master of all cheating mobsters (Robert Shaw) when they set out to avenge the murder of a mutual friend and partner. Using a bogus bookie joint as a front for their con of all cons, the two feel the heat from the Chicago Mob on one side and encroaching police on the other. But in a plot that contains more twists than a treacherous mountain road, the ultimate scam is pulled off with consummate style and panache. It's an added bonus that Newman and Redford were box-office kings at the top of their game, and while Shaw broods intensely as the Runyonesque villain, The Sting is further blessed by a host of great supporting players including Dana Elcar, Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston, Charles Durning, and Harold Gould. Thanks to the flavorful music score by Marvin Hamlisch, this was also the movie that sparked a nationwide revival of Scott Joplin's ragtime jazz, which is featured prominently on the soundtrack. One of the most entertaining movies of the early 1970s, The Sting is a welcome throwback to Hollywood's golden age of the '30s that hasn't lost any of its popular charm. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (119)

An great comedy thriller classic.
When an ambitious Small Time Crook (Two Time Oscar-Winner:Robert Redford) steals $10,000 with his old age partner from an dangerous criminal (Robert Shaw), later on that day, The Crook discover his crime partner has been murder by the crime lord. Then The Crook meets his dead friend ex-partner a Veteran Con-Man (Three Time Oscar-Winner:Paul Newman), who seek revenge on the crime lord.

Entertaining comedy is directed by George Roy Hill (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Slap Shot) and Written by David S. Ward (The Program). Winner of Seven Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Score and Best Original Screenplay. The Film recieve Three Oscar Nominations, Including:Best Actor:-Robert Redford, Best Cinematography and Best Sound. The Sting has the Greatest Double Crossing in a Movie History, Complete with an Surprise Ending. Great Fun. Better to Wait for the Special Edition DVD in a Widescreen Version, which it will be 30 Years, Next Year. Grade:A.

The Quintessential Caper Flick
"The Sting" is an extremely well written story by David Ward ("Major League", "Sleepless in Seattle") and David Maurer about some smalltime grifters who attempt to swindle a mob boss. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards in 1974 and won seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. It reunited director George Roy Hill, Robert Redford and Paul Newman four years after their blockbuster, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Strangely, although Butch and Sundance made it to number 50 on AFI's top 100 of the century, this film did not make that list. This is even more surprising since "Butch" did not win the Oscar for Best Picture in 1970 ("Midnight Cowboy" won it that year).

While I think "Butch" is funnier and more exciting, this film is more intriguing with interesting character studies and some unpredictable plot twists. Hill does a superb job of weaving the elements of the caper together and giving it a depression era feeling. The humor is more ironic than hilarious, but it fits the story well. The period props, locations, and sets are excellent, and the costumes are perfect. The costumes were done by the legendary Edith Head, who designed costumes for over 400 films in her 50-year career. She won an Oscar for best Costume Design for this film, which was one of eight she won in that category in a career marked by an astounding 34 Oscar nominations. The music by Scott Joplin and Marvin Hamlisch is also fabulous, bestowing an early twentieth century flavor on the film, and giving Hamlisch one of three Oscars he won that year (the other two were for "The Way We Were" also starring Redford).

Where "Butch" was probably a little more Newman's film, this film clearly belonged to Redford. Redford, who was nominated for best actor for the role, is marvelous in the lead, giving his character a charming, lighthearted personality to go along with his scheming intellect. Newman plays almost a supporting role as the veteran conman Henry Gondorff, who assembles the team for the caper and oversees its execution. Despite the smaller part, Newman gives an electrifying performance with his conniving tough guy portrayal. Robert Shaw ("From Russia With Love", "A Man For All Seasons", "Jaws") is also terrific as mob boss Doyle Lonnegan. Charles Durning ("The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas"), Ray Walston (TV's "My Favorite Martian") and Eileen Brennan ("Private Benjamin") round out a splendid supporting cast with fantastic character portrayals.

This film is entertaining and fun with a tight plot and wonderful period renderings. I rated it a 10/10. If you have never seen it, you are in for a treat.

THIS ONE REALLY STINGS!
"The Sting" is a classic throwback to Hollywood's golden age: a fish out of water tale about a couple of con artists (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) who seemingly meet their match in a cheating mobster (Robert Shaw). As the police close in from one end and the Mafia from the other, the stakes become higher, the comedy more hilarious and the ultimate con, more rewarding. The supporting cast is a potpourri of stellar characters including Dana Elcar, Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston, Charles Durning, and Harold Gould. Marvin Hamlisch provides a sophisticated score buttressed by Scott Joplin's ragtime jazz.

It is disheartening to see an Oscar wining Best Picture get so shabby a treatment on DVD. For starters, the film is presented in a full frame, pan and scan version only. The shortcomings of this format are that you are not seeing the film in a version director, George Roy Hill would have approved of. But apart from Universal's glaringly obvious oversight, the print quality of "The Sting" suffers from a poorly balanced color spectrum, age related artifacts, edge enhancement, shimmering of fine details and pixelization. Flesh tones are often weak and pasty. Blacks are rarely solid or deep. Fine grain can be excessive in spots. The audio is poorly mixed, sounding strident and tinny. There are no extra features.

Redford and Newman at it again
I just rented this DVD and watched the whole thing, but I've seen this movie several times before.

Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) is a con artist who unknowingly swindles a lackey of crime boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). After Hooker's partner in the crime is killed, Hooker vows revenge against Lonnegan and seeks Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman), one of the best cons in the game to help in the big Sting. Hooker would love to do more than just hit Lonnegan for a lot of money, but "doesn't know enough about killin' to kill him."

It's not easy separating a crime boss from his money, especially when he owns half the politicians and police. They have to take him without him even knowing he was taken. What follows is an exciting deception, carried out with professionalism and ingenuity.

I don't think the chemistry between Newman and Redford is quite as good as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but it's still pretty darn good. Lines like this:

Redford (first seeing his arch-enemy): "He's not as tough as he thinks."
Newman: "Neither are we"

The story is classic. You don't exactly know who's who, and you wonder how they're going to pull it off in the end. Scott Joplin's ragtime music, although somewhat anachronistic, is effective at keeping the movie somewhat lighthearted. There are a couple of instances of swearing and a stripper with pasties on, which gives it a PG rating.

The reason for four stars is the fact that the DVD has NO EXTRAS, and the only option is the full screen version, no widescreen. A movie as good as this deserves better, which is unfortunate.

Overall, this is a great movie with great cinematography (transition wipe effects and some tracking shots) and phenomenal acting. Enjoy.

Widescreen?
I love the film, but why is this not available in Widescreen on DVD? There's been a Widescreen VHS, and I've seen it in Widescreen on Turner Classic Movies. I know it was shot in Widescreen, so how about it, Universal? ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Another Classic!
When I was growing up, this was one of the many classic Disney movies we had taped from the tv, among others, like Snowball Express and Follw Me, Boys. But this is definitely my favorite. After all these years, I still memorize the song in the opening credits, and I can probably recite half the movie.

I have been waiting for this to come out on DVD for about 6 years, and I'm so glad I'll finally have the chance to own it!

Don Knotts and Jim Dale Rule!! Great Western Comedy!!
Don Knotts and Jim Dale in this Great Western Comedy Hot Lead and Cold Feet.It's great slapstick that's fun for the whole Family!!

ONE OF THE CLASSIC COMEDIES
Great performance by Knotts and Elam. This is not the Elam from other westerns. This is the Elam playing himself. He really is a fun-loving guy. Take a GOOD HA HA! This is rare footage and well worth the price.

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
I love the comedy style in this movie. Don Knotts was especially great ... Read more

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Overlooked during its theatrical run but a cult favorite on video, this unique and chilling take on the zombie film finally joins the digital ranks with a two-DVD set from Blue Underground. James Farentino stars as a small-town sheriff who discovers that the victims in a string of grisly murders are reappearing seemingly alive and unharmed. His investigation leads him to suspect that the local mortician (Jack Albertson) is somehow responsible for these reanimated corpses; what Farentino doesn't know is the extent to which the entire town-himself included-is involved. First-time viewers will appreciate director Gary Sherman's attention to pacing and atmosphere, as well as the often darkly humorous script by co-producer Ronald Shusett and Dan O'Bannon (Alien, Total Recall) and the solid cast (which includes future horror star Robert Englund); longtime fans will appreciate the fact that Blue Underground's uncut print restores many of Stan Winston's gruesome special effects. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (35)

An underrated classic!
Set in the town of Potter's Bluff where it seems like a nice little town to stay, mysterious murders and graverobbings have occured. A baffled Sherrif with the help of a local Mortician ( Jack Albertson) investigate these bizarre cases, but they figured out that it's caused by corpses that have been brought back to life by voodoo reanimation.

A brilliant, original and startling shocker from Dan O'Bannon ( Writer of "Heavy Metal", "Alien" and " Total Recall"), the gore effects with zombie effects by Stan Winston are quite good especially the infamous needle through the eyeball scene which rivals the splinter scene in "Zombie", good acting, creepy atmosphere, cool zombies, Robert Englund ( a.k.a. Freddy Krueger) and Barry Corbin from Critters 2 co-stars, and a shocking twist in the end.

The DVD is quite excellent in sound quality and picture, the film is fully uncut and uncensored and the extras are out of this world. I recommend this movie to fans of horror and zombie flicks but not for the faint hearted.

Also recommended: Burial Ground, Resident Evil, Dead Heat, From Dusk Till Dawn, Phantasm, Suspiria, Total Recall, Return of the Living Dead, The Serpent and The Rainbow, Re-Animator, City of the Living Dead, Nightmare City, Return of the Living Dead 3, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Stuff, Lifeforce, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, Zombie, House by the Cemetery, and The Beyond.

Good Cult Movie
Dead and Buried is a good cult movie that unfortunately was overlooked by its theatrical run during the early 80s. By looking at the movie, it has a 50s feel to it due to the plot and the great architecture of the buildings located in the small town. Let's do a brief summary of the plot.

One day, a photographer from St. Louis goes to a beach located in a small town called Potter's Bluff. He takes some pictures until he runs into a sexy blonde who calls herself Lisa. He takes some pictures of her until she unbuttons her blouse, saying do you want me. He comes closer until a group of people beat him up and put him in a net. The weirdest part is that the people have cameras and take pictures of him. Before they set him on fire, one the people say, "Welcome to Potter's Bluff," a line you will hear throughout the film.

During the night, a car is spotted on fire. The police arrived to investigate, including the head sheriff. Also involved is a mortician, played by the late Jack Albertson, who playes one of the weirdest people you will ever meet on screen. The sheriff, played by James Farentino, spots what seems to be a corpse in the car. His suspicion is that the corpse was already burnt before the car was lit on fire. As one the people touch the corpse, the corpse just all of a sudden screams. It turns out that the corpse was the photographer, who was burnt in the first scene of the movie. As the sheriff investigates the crime, local people turn up murdered by the same group who burnt the photographer, who dies in a horrific scene you got to see to believe. While the sheriff investigates the other crimes, it turns out that his wife is starting to get interested in witchcraft. Also, a local hotel manager tells the sheriff that his wife knew the photographer. The sheriff starts to look into the murders until a horrible secret comes out involving him, his wife, and the mortician.

Dead and Buried was a good film, but I didn't get the real reason behind the plot. The plot did not really explain the reasons why people were killed and the reason behind the weirdness of the town, which is the reason why I gave it 4 stars. Other than that, Blue Underground has done a wonderful job of reviving this lost film.

Another fact to bring up was that Jack Albertson was dying of cancer the same time he played this roll. A possible theory was that he knew he did not have much time to live and that taking this roll was kind of ironic, given that this film dealt with death. But, this was a roll that was a perfect sendoff to this actor who was good on TV as well as on film.

Again, another good job by Blue Underground. Check out the extras including three audio commentaries, an interview with Robert Englund, who portrayed one of the characters before he became Freddy Kreuger, a look at Stan Winston's early EFX, and more.

Unique Premise makes this a Cult Classic,
In the quiet coastal village of Potters Bluff, where tourists and transients are always welcome but when something very strange is happening to the tourists and villagers of Potters Bluff are Brutally Murdered. But even more shocking, when the people are murdered and they back to life as normal friendly citizens around town. The local sheriff (James Farentino) decides to do something about it, while an eccentric mortican (Oscar-Winner:Jack Albertson) is somehow commited to the town`s community. Since the dead are back to life are alive and well... and no one is ever really Dead & Buried.

Directed by Gary A. Sherman (Deathline, Poltergeist 3, Vice Squad) made an effected genuinely fantasy horror film with a sense of humour. This film was a miss at the Box Office in 1981. The film also stars:Melody Anderson (Flash Gordon), Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street Series) and Oscar-Winner:Lisa Blount (An Officer and an Gentleman). Also Barry Corbin and Micheal Patiki appears in bit parts. The film features One of the First theatrical Make-Up Effects work by Oscar-Winner:Stan Winston (The Terminator Series). One of the Best Scenes in the movie is the Infamous Controversial Hypodermic Needle in the Eyeball Scene is a Classic. Since this is a Limited Edition, I have number 7629 out of 50000.

DVD Features are Good, including Three Commentaries Tracks by the Narrator for Blue Underground:David Gregory for all Three Tracks with the Filmmakers:Director-Sherman, Co-Screenwriter:Ronald Shusett, Shusett`s Wife:Linda Turley and Cinematographer:Steve Poster. The First Track Director:Sherman shares his Stories with Gregory about that he missed his Original Cut, which now it doesn`t exist. The Second Track Co-Screenwriter:Shusett and his wife:Turley shares stories with Gregory about Shusett`s Experiences as a Writer-Writting Popular Movies like Alien, Total Recall & Minority Report and Shusett`s wife mentions some of the errors in the film and the good times, she had on the set with her husband. The Third Track Cinematographer:Poster takes about the lighting, camerawork and locations of the film with Gregory. DVD Features also has Theatrical Trailers, Poster & Still Gallery, Three Featurettes with Stan Winston, Robert Englund and Co-Screenwriter:Dan O`Bannon & Steve Poster`s Location Stills. DVD has an good anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an fine Digitally Remastered-Dolby Digital 5.1 Expanded Surround Sound (Also in DTS 6.1 Expanded Surround Sound). This is a Nicely Done Horror Film, which is certainly One of the Best Horror Fantasy Movies from the early 80`s. Written by Ronald Shusett and Dan O`Bannon (Alien, Bleeders, Total Recall). From a Story by Jeff Millar & Alex Stern. Grade:A-.

ABSOLUTE CLASSIC!!!!!!!!
JUST WHAT I SAID THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE CLASSIC!!!!!!i can't believe this is so underrated WHY??????????? im not going to give anything away about the story so to bad!!!!! the DVD comes out looking & sounding great, great little dvd goodies!! bottom line this livingdead flick is AWSOME!!!!ENJOY!!!!! I KNOW I DID!!!!!!!

Fascinating Twist on the Living Dead genre
A supposedly nice and humble town, Potter's Bluff, has been home of some grisly murders. Oddly enough, the people killed are seen again, looking completely normal. Very convincing special effects too. And to top it off, Robert Englund is in the movie. ... Read more

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Barbra Streisand returned to amped-up comedy form (following her work in Herbert Ross's sharp, unsentimental The Owl and the Pussycat and Peter Bogdanovich's screwball homage, What's Up, Doc?) in this nutty 1974 feature by Peter Yates (Bullitt, Breaking Away). Playing a Brooklyn housewife so dedicated to her cabdriver husband (Michael Sarrazin) she'll do anything to help him get ahead, Streisand's character--with the impossible name of Henry--secretly borrows three thousand dollars from a loan shark so hubby can play the stock market. When an expected windfall doesn't happen, Henry becomes frantically inventive trying to raise the money to pay the shark back. Originally called July Pork Bellies (a reference to commodities futures that makes sense in the context of this story), For Pete's Sake doesn't really measure up to the aforementioned Streisand comedies, but there are certainly solid moments and individual performances to single out for praise. (Among the latter is wonderful character work by Molly Picon, Estelle Parsons, and William Redfield.) Director Yates, as has often been the case, didn't quite get his head around this sort of broad material; as comedy goes, he has proven more adept with sweeter, droller films such as Breaking Away. Despite all that, true Streisand fans will not let this get away without a look. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (13)

"Don't let him down."
In retrospect, it isn't hard to understand why Barbra chose to make this limp, embarrassingly unfunny farce. The arty UP THE SANDBOX had just flopped and the future prospects of the just completed THE WAY WE WERE were unknown. Deciding that her reputation as a movie superstar couldn't take another project that was a commercial risk, she agreed to star in FOR PETE'S SAKE, a woefully misguided attempt at modern screwball comedy. Basically, everything that WHAT'S UP, DOC? succeeded at brilliantly, FOR PETE'S SAKE fails at miserably. Not only are the characters annoying and the puns infantile, but FOR PETE'S SAKE commits the biggest crime known to comedy: it just ain't funny. Throughout all of the typical comedic mix-ups and chases, the viewer will find his or herself moaning rather than laughing.

Barbra tries her best to pump the film up with her undeniable comic gifts, but there's no inspiration in this sitcom-level script, so even her earnest portrayal gets lost amid the murk. Michael Sarrazin fares even worse due to his badly underwritten character, and he has no chemistry with Streisand. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast doesn't fare much better. True, veteran comedic actress Molly Picon has a few amusing bits as Ms. Cherry, but none of the other supporting players are able to break out of their one-note characters. However, when a screenplay is this labored and unfunny, you can't really blame any of the actors - they obviously did the best with what they were given. It's certain that Barbra wouldn't have made this film had she known that THE WAY WE WERE was going to be a blockbuster hit, however that is not a good enough reason to excuse the poor execution behind this picture.

There are fans who like to say that the contrived box office hit THE MAIN EVENT or the off-beat box office flop ALL NIGHT LONG are Barbra's weakest films, but I must strongly disagree. THE MAIN EVENT may have been tired and predictable, but at least it was funny overall, and Streisand did had chemistry with her leading man in that one. And though ALL NIGHT LONG may have not been a perfect film (the film's soggy mid-section is it's biggest flaw), but it had a charmingly odd-ball perspective that made the movie seem bizarrely endearing. FOR PETE'S SAKE has none of the things that make THE MAIN EVENT or ALL NIGHT LONG entertaining. It just stumbles on to the finale, getting progressively worse as it goes. While FOR PETE'S SAKE was actually a box office hit in it's day, in the end it no doubt had a more damaging effect on Barbra's career. It did nothing but provide fodder for the people who never liked her to begin with.

About the DVD: The picture quality is great, much better that I expected, and the sound is also fine. Yates' commentary track isn't very interesting (and has some long silences), but it's still a nice addition.

Barbra Arrives on DVD
It's nice to see more Barbra Streisand titles appearing on DVD. FOR PETE'S SAKE has arrived and although it is not one of Streisand's "classic" films, it is certainly entertaining -- and the DVD makes this 1970's film look great!

For starters, the disk comes with a letterbox presentation on one side and a full-screen presentation on the other. The menu is colorful and a funky 1970's design. The trailers included (WAY WE WERE, PRINCE OF TIDES, and the PETE'S trailer) are interesting. The Talent Files are brief. The colors and clarity of the picture look great to me.

As for the film, Barbra is very funny. She's in her fast-talking Brooklynese mode here. The plot is barely realistic, but that doesn't really matter because this is a romantic, screwball comedy. Actually, when you think about it, the story of a wife who prostitutes herself to pay for a loan is quite horrendous. But director Peter Yates somehow makes you forget this -- in his commentary (an extra audio track on the disk) he keeps saying "This movie is entertainment, it's supposed to be fun and not taken seriously."

Barbra sings the title song (the lyrics are a bit dated, but the song is fun) and wears a short Jon Peters-designed wig. Look for Barbra's longtime manager Marty Erlichman in a cameo. Also, praise should be given to Gene Callahan's production design. Streisand's apartment (although clearly out of her character's means) is gorgeous!

My favorite scene is when Barbra gets licked by the bull while driving a trailer. Barbra's laughs of disgust and amazement are quite hilarious.

Enjoy FOR PETE'S SAKE!

Aptly Titled
Avoid at all costs. Streisand at her most obnoxious, weaker material than a Nick-At-Nite "Facts Of Life" marathon. Wear a life preserver if you have to sit through it because it starts sinking right away.

For God's Sake!
Okay, what were the film folks thinking with regard to this picture? The commentary by the film's director was fun; the film in two formats was nice; but after almost 20 years, there is nothing new to this piece. The only upside is being able to burn on your personal CD player the opening title song, "For Pete's Sake" sung by Streisand. Where is the creative genius' behind these releases?

Barbara chewing scenery
This is not one of my favorite Barbara films. It's ok to watch on a dreqary Sunday afternoon. I'd much rather watch "What's Up, Doc?" or "Funny Girl" the latter of which has finally made it onto DVD.
This little film is basically about the bonds of marrriage and how love overcomes everything, including prostitution, larceny, goodfellas, porkbellies, stocks, snotty family members and Molly Picon!
Barbara plays Henry, whose husband Pete drives a cab by day and plays the stock market putting their savings into porkbellies. The stocks go belly up and Babrba is determined not to let Petes dreams join them. So, she goes from one silly plotline to another to try and get him the money, all the while putting them further in debt. Until the end when the porkbelly stock finally brings them their dreams.

AA sweet comedy with Barbra acting her face off trying her best to make the most of it. I truly hate her short hair in this movie, it distracts me. I hope that "What's Up, Doc?" and "On a Clear Day" get a great DVD treatment. Enjoy! ... Read more

Description

With his trademark unrelenting honesty and conviction, Arthur Miller examines a major Holocaust issue: the failure to assume responsibility and the consequent moral and social guilt of those who refuse to fight evil. Set in a detention room in Vichy, France during the 1942 German occupation, a number of people have been rounded up and are awaiting interrogation before being sent to concentration camps. It is soon obvious that they are Jews with false papers that will not stand up to close scrutiny. While individual stories flow past the juror’s eye, events soon focus on Leduc (Harris Yulin), a psychiatrist, and an Austrian prince (Richard Jordan), who recognizes his guilt of silent complicity and his failure to act responsibly while the Germans rose to power. Miller raises theoretical and ideological arguments and brings up the question of where responsibility lies. Notions of the nature of personal sacrifice, issues of personal blame, and a debate on how much each person is obligated to help in a larger crisis are addressed in this truly important and provocative television event. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good Work from the Berkeley Theatre Archive
The action of this play takes place in a single room (and a single act), and this version makes no attempt to change this, so don't watch it if you're looking for filmic frills. That said, the set is well-done and the performances are very good, good enough, in fact, that it's hard to point out any particular standouts. (Star Trek fans will note the appearances of Rene Auberjonois and a very young-looking Andrew Robinson, billed as Andy Robinson, as Leduc the actor and the (German) Major.)

The BTA series was originally done for television, so the image quality is not great, but both picture and sound seem to be as good as "new."

Like all the Kultur DVDs of the Broadway Theatre Archive I've seen, this version has no extras to speak of. Aside from the program itself, there is a short of previews of other titles and a scene selection option. ... Read more