Description

Comic wizard Bill Murray (CRADLE WILL ROCK, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) teams up with Academy Award(R)-winner Richard Dreyfuss teams up with (Best Actor, 1978, THE GOODBYE GIRL) in an outrageously wild comedy that's sure to drive you off the deep end! Murray plays Bob Wiley, a troubled but lovable therapy patient who fears everything! After seeking help from noted psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin (Dreyfuss), Bob feels revived. But when the good doctor skips town to go on a quiet family vacation, Bob, afraid of being alone, follows -- showing up unexpectedly at the therapist's lakeside retreat. That's when the fun really begins! Bob innocently becomes the houseguest who just won't leave -- endearing himself to the other family members ... and, in the end, driving the stressed-out shrink absolutely crazy! ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Mmmm... Was this movie hand-shucked?
The story is pretty simple. Bill Murray stars as Bob Wiley, a manic who invades the life and family of Dr. Leo Marvin, a psychiatrist played by Richard Dreyfuss. Bob comes to him for guidance but Dr. Leo is in a rush to go on his summer vacation, so he gets brushed off and sent out the door with a copy of the Dr.'s new best-selling book, Baby Steps. Bob can't handle it himself and decides to follow Dr. Leo to his vacation home. Bob's insistent efforts to get to Dr. Leo causes his family to become endeared to him and his child-like qualities, while Dr. Leo sees Bob's efforts so invasive he starts to become unhinged himself.

This movie is a real treat. Great performances all around and one of Bill Murray's funniest roles. From watching the reaction of the family members, one wonders how much of the goofiness was improvised by Murray. Dreyfuss is splendid also as he slowly loses his patience and eventually his sanity. It gets a solid four stars and a buy recommendation. Watch it when you need a lift. But remember--baby steps... baby steps...

Baby Steps!
What About Bob is one of the funniest comedies of the 90's, and one of Bill Murray's best roles as the neurotic Bob Wiley, who seeks help from renowned psychiatrist Dr Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss). As Leo's patient, Bob follows Leo to his holiday house at Lake Winnapasokee, where the crazy Bob pesters his exasperated Doc for answers to his problems. The gradually- increasing craziness between Dreyfuss and Murray is fantastic, with an outstanding script and superb comedic timing.

The film also stars Julie Hagerty (Airplane) as Leo's wife and Charlie Korsmo (from Spielberg's Hook) as Sigmund 'Siggy' Marvin. But this movie belongs to Murray. His brilliant comic timing and neuroticism provide some great laughs ("I want, I want, gimme, gimme, gimme, I need I need!"). Which is exactly what people are saying about this DVD. Must-have comedy.

The Greatest Movie of All Time
I seriously think that this is the best movie ever. I haven't seen it in a few months but my stomach still hurts from all the laughing I did (ok, not really but you get the picture). Bill Murray is one of my favorite actors and he made me love him even more in this film. I cannot count how many times I laugh everytime I watch this movie. If you are going to watch this movie, be ready for a stomach ache afterwards because I can guarantee that you will laughing for all eternity after you watch this movie. If you have a pulse, you will enjoy this movie!

Lots of Quotes!
One of the measures of a good movie is if you recite lines from it in normal dialog. My family uses many quotes from this movie and has been doing so for years. Whenever my wife is run down she pulls this one out and immediately starts to laugh. This is one of our favorite wacky comedies.

What About ...Annoying?!
There is no question that Bill Murray has an outstanding body of work, but in WHAT ABOUT BOB? he plays one of the most annoying characters in the history of cinema (even worst than Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace). The audience is supposed to cheer 'Bob' as he battles his way through his neurosis and phobias, at the expense of his psychiatrist, Dr. Leo Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss). This reviewer had the opposite effect of what the movie was supposed to project. I felt sympathy for Leo/Dreyfuss and none whatsoever with Bob/Murray who literally invades the life of his doctor. The fact that even Dr. Leo Marvin's family, who find no harm in Bob's innocent stalking througout the course of the film, was even more frustrating. The movie plays like the tv show GREEN ACRES. There is one central character who is supposedly smarter than everyone, but somehow everyone still gets the best of him. The climax in all this was the nail in the coffin. A vacation home is blown-up and 'Bob' ends up marrying Leo's (Drefuss) sister, while Leo is reduced to a dribbling vegetable. This reviewer did not think this film was a comedy, but rather it was fingernails scratching across a chalkboard. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Branagh brings Shakespeare to life!
Kenneth Branagh is, undoubtedly, my favorite Shakespeare actor and director. He casts based on talent rather than popularity and his choices really pay off. His own roles are instilled with a vibrant energy and life not often seen in film.

This screen adaptation of Shakespeare's romantic comedy takes us on a light-hearted adventure of match-making and deceit. Branagh plays Benedick, a soldier in the company of Don Pedro of Aragon and a "professed tyrant" to the female sex who swears he will die a bachelor. Emma Thompson, then Branagh's wife, plays Beatrice, a free-spirited female version of Benedick. The two are engaged in a "merry war" of wits, and constantly offend one another. Their friends, however, see them as the perfect couple and endeavour to bring them together against their own wills.

The second love story is that of Claudio, another favored soldier of prince Don Pedro, played by Robert Sean Leonard, and Hero, a career-starting role for actress Kate Beckinsale. Theirs is a case of love at first sight, and they soon become engaged to be married. Don John, the prince's outcast brother, however, will do anything to destroy the happiness of one of Don Pedro's favored men. He and his henchmen enter into a plot to break up the engagement.

Don Pedro is played by Denzel Washington, and the role highlights his amazing versatility and talent as an actor. This is definitely one of his best performances. It is also refreshing to see a movie where the good brother is played by a person of color and the bad brother, Don John (Keanu Reeves) is white. Branagh made an excellent casting choice and both characters shine.

Comic relief is provided by an outstanding performance of Michael Keaton as Dogberry, the local sheriff who's more than a little off his rocker, but harmlessly entertaining. Delightful performances are also given by Richard Briers as Leonato, Brian Blessed as Antonio, and Richard Clifford as Conrade.

With great acting, verbal and physical comedy, and a wonderful musical score, this film is a definite must-see for any fan of Shakespeare and Kenneth Branagh. A truly delightful movie!

Much Ado About Something...
A warning: watching this film is apt to take away from your pleasure in watching any other film of a Shakespearian play. Simply, it's beautiful. The cast is a surprising ensemble that works incredibly well together (except, alas, for Keanu Reeves, who despite his best efforts, cannot act - luckily, the role doesn't require that he do so), the cinematography is beautiful, and the joy of watching Shakespeare done by good actors is that you actually understand the wordplay and the plot. Furthermore, there is no one star of the show (perhaps two, if Benedict and Beatrice are counted as the leads), so you don't get as sick of Brannaugh as you usually do in his mind-numbing epics (i.e. Hamlet - wherein near the end you feel like screaming, "There's a knife right there! Get it over with!). Finally, Emma Thompson and Denzel Washington are wonderful; Thompson is so consistently exquisite in all of her movies that Britain should put out an insurance policy, and I am very embarrassed to say that, of all of Washington's excellent films, I love this one the best. I have never seen Shakespeare done better in a movie.

Good or not..??
Good or not?? Its a GOOD movie I tell ya. I love it. First time I watched it was in my english class. Though I was quite suprised that we're allowed to watch movies that has nudity in it....don't know why. Yeah, there was a bit nudity and AHEM in here. But it is a HILARIOUS movie!! Theres famous actors today, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Baragnan, Micheal Keaton, Keanu Reeves, Kate Beckinsin, Richard Briers, Denzel Washington...lots more that I can't remember. Lots of comedy and romance. Come on, its a Shakespeare play. Its awesome!! Trust me, watch it or buy it I meant. ^_^

My Favorite Love Story
Many find William Shakespeare's Romeo and Julliet to be their favorite love story, but after seeing this movie it won me over. When you read his work after you see this movie it feels more exciting.
I enjoyed reading A Midsummer Night's Dream, but I haven't seen the motion picture, yet. This was also another great love story with colorful characters.
His colorful characters are one of the reasons why I love his writing so much. They have personalities; they have life. When the protagonists take too much of the story it gets boring, but when you have a rich melting pot of characters in which their lives all meet at some degree its a lot of fun.
In this movie you see song and merriment of the Mediterranean countires. Many courtships arise and the strenght of love, faith and trust are put to the test. See who wins and see who fails and see who gets a second chance.

Very Entertaining
This movie really took me by surprise. I guess I was expecting it to be dated and more serious, but in Shakespeare fashion it was quite entertaining and timeless. It was a brilliant take on a classic. Enjoy! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sharper and deeper than Robin Williams's previous road material, Live on Broadway is a mature comedian's view of all things to do with power, prejudice, and paranoia in the 21st century. On the anthrax scare of 2001: "The Senate cleared out of their building but told the rest of us, 'Get on with your normal lives!'" On his solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over Jerusalem: "Time share!" On the pitfalls of America's deepening alliance with Britain: "The House of Commons is like Congress with a two-drink minimum." A viewer may have to slog through Williams's tedious breast fetishism, but patience is quickly rewarded with bitchy takes on Martha Stewart facing prison, solid satire about French existentialist judges at the Olympics, and subversive op-eds about the Bush administration's inability to clarify terrorist threats to the public ("Has the CIA become the Central Intuitive Agency?"). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Fun for liberals and conservatives
Whether he's poking fun at George Bush (we're gonna catch these terrorists, ooh look at the kitty), French ( I make a baby smoke, you like?) or even rednecks (71 Virgils, "you gotta perty mouth, Whoooeee!). WARNING: This is Robin Williams, on HBO, and not family friendly. Also, if you have no sense of humor regardless of political affiliation, not friendly to you either. Many though Robin was gone and dead, due to such serious fare as Good Will Hunting, Insomnia and One Hour Photo, but he is alive and well. Robin runs the gammit from Luge Lessons (kagles), Utah Olympics, Bush, Cheney, Tony Blair, Brits, Scots, Golf, India, Jamaica, back to Male Enhancement Humor, Gorillas, the Crocodile Hunter, and Keeping the Misses Happy (you've got to be joking, I'm Goo-boy). If you have a thick skin, above high school intellect, and don't care how bad Williams drills The President, The Pope, or even Protestants, you'll be fine. If not, God help you all!!! Just kidding.

Absolutely Amazing
Excellent, excellent, excellent!

Many of us associate Robin Williams with funny didactic movies that always end with a moral value. Well, in this live on Broadway standup routine (recorded for HBO from the Broadway Theater in New York City) Robin Williams throws whatever morallity he has out the window and enjoys an open mic.

Watching this made me laugh until I was crying and suffering abdominal pain. For those of you expecting "Flubber" or "Hook" you will be quite suprised that Mr. Williams is extremely dirty and political as he throws controversial jokes straight at the camera.

To explain the topics he covers is impossible because he is so fast and is capable of changing subjects so fast that to try to explain what it is about is far beyond my ability. In fact, he goes so fast, he finishes an entire CASE of water, which is probably about 20 bottles.

More specifically, Williams takes advantage of his large talent of character acting and astounds his audiences. As he jumps back between is French "Look, I give a cigarette to a baby" to George Dubya saying "Our economy is--oh, look at the kitty!" He is not afraid to offend anyone as he examines religeons like Episcipals, Jews, Christianity, Puritanism, Calvanism, Buddism, Hinduism, and Islam.

Because of the fact that this is a DVD, it comes with a few extra features. First is an interview which is very charming with several chuckles allthe way through. Also included is a track of noises, which are all of Robin's wacky sound effects that he creates throughout the stand up routine. For those of you who are always excited to find a secret easter egg, there is also a track called "Parental Advisory" that is 2 minutes of all the curses (which are EXTREMELY plentiful) that Robin uses. The feature is in PCM stereo as well as Dolby Digital 5.1.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound I thought seemed a little weird since at random times you will hear applause behind you and it sounds unnnatural most likely due to bad mixing/editing.

I would not, however, recommend any of this DVD for children under the age of 13, depending on how mature your children are. This probably deserves to be rated R or possibly even NC-17 because of it's extremely naughty language, vulgar topics and sexual content.

All-in-all, Robin Williams is absoluletly hilarious, I think this is probably the best stand up routine I've ever seen and is definately worth the price.

Smart, sharp, hilarious, but overlong
This was my first exposure to Robin Williams as a standup comic, and this "Live on Broadway" act certainly makes up for all those mushy sentimental movies that he had starred in before this special. He lets loose here in a sustained comic bout of Williams-style voice impressions and sharp observations and adult jokes that I've never had the pleasure of witnessing in any of his movies (except, maybe, in small spurts). As a standup comic, he might not as smooth a performer as George Carlin (my personal favorite) is onstage, but Williams' energy makes up for a lot, and even makes otherwise stupid jokes make you laugh hysterically. (You know how you can tell he is expending as much energy as humanly possible in this show? By the huge amount of water bottles he has on stage.) His material is not as focused as some of the best standup comics, but I rather liked his improvisatory style---he goes from one thing to another in record time, giving his performance a nicely chaotic feel. (A lot of his best bits, mostly dealing with politics, are delivered quickly and randomly and then dispensed with.) And yet all of it flows together nicely (even if some bits are inevitably better than others).

So what's the problem? I think perhaps 99 minutes or so of one man comically riffing about anything and everything is still perhaps a bit too long for its own good. I've watched this on more than one occasion, and by the hour mark I always feel myself getting rather exhausted by Williams' highly energetic schtick. It is not necessarily that his material starts to become significantly weaker or repetitive (although his French-bashing does get a little tiresome after a while), but while you still marvel at Williams' energy level...I dunno, I just kinda got tired of it on some level after a while. Williams' energy may not flag, but ours does...at least until he rebounds at the end with some good bits about American sports and then about sex, particularly Viagra. Believe me, when you see his take on Viagra, you will laugh hysterically in spite of yourself.

In short, for me, "Robin Williams: Live on Broadway" is a mostly brilliant but perhaps overlong standup comedy piece (a standup comedy "epic" if there ever was one). It would have gotten five stars as a more focused hourlong show; instead, this one sprawls until we in the audience start feeling a little exhausted by his endlessly energetic (and highly profane) style. And yet there is enough brilliant stuff here---his riffs about the war in Afghanistan and homeland security rival the best, and overall there are plenty of small but great bits here and there that will grab your attention---so that this is definitely worth seeing. Certainly you will be amazed that Robin Williams actually pulls the whole damned thing off at all. Recommended.

NOTE: I have seen "Robin Williams: Live on Broadway" as it first premiered on HBO, and for some reason it is slightly longer than the program that appears on this DVD. It is beyond me why CMV Home Video thought it necessary to make some small cuts to the program for this DVD edition. (For instance, it cuts out a lines during the parts where he cracks humorously about Michael Jackson and the Enron scandal.) At least, though, the program is not significantly cut (it's only missing about a few seconds worth of material from the initial broadcast), and overall it is very much intact. (Besides, HBO and its other channels have been showing this marginally-cut version of the program on its stations ever since, anyway.) Just thought people would like to know, though.

Funny as hell
Man Robin Williams funny as hell. I pissed my pants i was laughin so damn hard. This is a great dvd. It has an easter egg that shows every cuss word he says it is hilarious. He goes on about so many diffrent topics. Its crazy. Someone must have put something in that water, he went threw about 20 bottles of it. My favorite part was when he was doin the bit about drunk scots inventing golf. " i wanna hit a ball in a gopher hole" "OH you mean like pool?" "Fu*k off pool! Not with a straight stick! With a little fu*ked up stick." " OH you mean like croquet?" "Fu*k croquet! Well put the ball hundreds of yards away. And well put tall grass and bushes just to fu*k with your ball. And at the end well put a flat spot with a flag just to give you hope. Then well put sand and bushes just to fu*k with your ball again!"
In one word Id say this movie was Geniusly Awesome super terrificly pimped out. (OK i cheated a little)

A masterpiece by a genius
Talk about high-energy comedy. Wow!

This guy is incredible. What a sick puppy. But hilarious.

And, where the heck did all that water go? ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Pretty Woman: the best movie in the entire pretty world!
Everyone knows this story, whether they've experienced certain parts of it, or just love it pure & simply because it's terrific. And if you haven't seen it, why not?! Go out and get it now. Go on!

This is the one Julia Roberts film that can never be out-done. No amount of Erin Brockovich's can beat this movie. This catapulted Julia into the big-time, mainstream movies, and she's now one of the highest paid actresses. I dunno whether something like Pretty Woman was never done before this, or whether I'm just sick of Julia Roberts now, but she won't come across a script as good as this again. Not even the supposed "sequel", with Richard Gere & Julia reteaming (they could go all the way and do a Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks) with Garry Marshall and Hector Elizondo for Runaway Bride. Nowhere near as good. But that's a different movie.

The actors are great, and I think it's the only Richard Gere movie I've ever seen - apart from Runaway Bride. The night elevator operator's face (Patrick Richwood) is an absolute picture most of the time, and he makes you laugh just by looking at him.

Of course, everyone knows that Julia's character, Vivian, turns from a poor hooker, into a rich lady. I much prefer Vivian as the hooker. When you first meets Edward (Richard Gere), she's fine, she's cute, and he gives her all this money, and she turns into a frumpy, awkward lady. The clothes are ill-fitting and really don't suit her.

In a few years, when Julia Roberts is old and grey (Richard Gere already was old & grey in this!), this will be considered a classic.

Watch out for a very much blink and you'll miss him role of the detective, played by Hank Azaria. I've seen this movie a hundred times, and it's the first time I noticed him!

The songs are terrific in this, from Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" to Natalie Cole's "Wild Women Do" (the video is not impressive though). The best song is of course, Roxette's "It Must Have Been Love", played as Vivian leaves Edward. It's a very poignant scene, and I always play this song if I'm feeling down about something. The lyrics match any relationship problem perfectly, and matches the scene in Pretty Woman

Romance & Comedy All In One
Pretty Woman is an excellent movie in my opinion. It's about Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts), a hooker who is 'working' on Hollywood Boulevard one night with her friend Kit De Luca (Laura San Giacomo). Around the corner comes a Lotust and the person in that car is none other than Edward Lewis (Richard Gere), a heartless business man on his way to the Regent Beverly Wiltshire Hotel. The car then stalls (he doesn't know how to work a stick shift) and that's when him and Roberts meet. Gere then takes Roberts to the hotel with him and before she knows it he's asking her to stay with him the whole week for $3,000.
Some of the cast members include Jason Alexander as Philip Stuckey, Edward's trusty lawyer, Ralph Bellamy as James Morse, the man who's company Edward's firm is trying to take over, Alex Hyde-White as David Morse, James Morse's son, and Hector Elizondo as Bernard Thompson, the manager of the
hotel.
The music in this motion picture is found on the Pretty Woman Soundtrack. It includes Natalie Cole - Wild Women Do, David Bowie - Fame 90, Roxette - Must Have Been Love, Christopher Otcasek - Real Wild Child (Wild One), and probley the most popular song that relates to this movie is Roy
Orbison - Oh, Pretty Woman.
I recommend this movie to anyone who likes comedy, romantic, or movies where opposites find one another. This movie will stick around for generations to come. I would give this movie five gold stars and two thumbs up.

Modern Day Pygmaelion
Pretty Woman is a great movie. When Julia Roberts acted in this 1990 classic, she was sexy, vibrant and cute. In her latest movies she seems to have lost her charm, and appears awkward and frumpy.
It is a romantic comedy about a lovable prostitute Vivienne (Julia Roberts) hired by a spoiled, jaded billionaire, Edward (Richard Gere) for a highly unusual assignment.

Needless to say, this encounter irreparably changes both of their lives forever. Thouroughly a story that is funny, touching and engaging,

The change is Vivienne from a streetwalker to a lady mirrors a Pygmalion/My Fair Lady type of theme.

As the voice at the end reminds us, sometimes your dreams come true and sometimes they don't but you are always free to dream!

Some pretty memorable stuff in this movie!

Modern Day Pigmaelion
Pretty Woman is a great movie. When Julia Roberts acted in this 1990 classic, she was sexy, vibrant and cute. In her latest movies she seems to have lost her charm, and appears awkward and frumpy.
It is a romantic comedy about a lovable prostitute Vivienne (Julia Roberts) hired by a spoiled, jaded billionaire, Edward (Richard Gere) for a highly unusual assignment.

Needless to say, this encounter irreparably changes both of their lives forever. Though a story that is funny, touching and engaging, Vivienne's dreams come true, and she able to start a new life, and having found love

The change is Vivienne from a streetwalker to a lady mirrors a Pygmalion/My Fair Lady type of theme.

Edward too has finally learned to love!

As the voice at the end reminds us, sometimes your dreams come true and sometimes they don't but you are always free to dream!

Should be called Pretty Stupid
This movie was terrible. If there was a perfume called "essence of fart" then thats what this movie would smell like. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

By now, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have amassed such a fund of goodwill with moviegoers that any new onscreen pairing brings nearly reflexive smiles.In You've Got Mail, the quintessential boy and girl next door repeat the tentative romantic crescendo that made Sleepless in Seattle, writer-director Nora Ephron's previous excursion with the duo, a massive hit. The prospective couple do actually meet face to face early on, but Mail otherwise repeats the earlier feature's gentle, extended tease of saving its romantic resolution until the final, gauzy shot.

The underlying narrative is an even more old-fashioned romantic pas de deux that is casually hooked to a newfangled device.The script, cowritten by the director and her sister, Delia Ephron, updates and relocates the Ernst Lubitsch classic, The Shop Around the Corner, to contemporary Manhattan, where Joe Fox (Hanks) is a cheerfully rapacious merchant whose chain of book superstores is gobbling up smaller, more specialized shops such as the children's bookstore owned by Kathleen Kelly (Ryan).Their lives run in close parallel in the same idealized neighborhood, yet they first meet anonymously, online, where they gradually nurture a warm, even intimate correspondence. As they begin to wonder whether this e-mail flirtation might lead them to be soul mates, however, they meet and clash over their colliding business fortunes.

It's no small testament to the two stars that we wind up liking and caring about them despite the inevitable (and highly manipulative) arc of the plot. Although their chemistry transcended the consciously improbable romantic premise of Sleepless, enabling director Ephron to attain a kind of amorous soufflé, this time around there's a slow leak that considerably deflates the affair. Less credulous viewers will challenge Joe's logic in prolonging the concealment of his online identity from Kathleen, and may shake their heads at Ephron's reinvention of Manhattan as a spotless, sun-dappled wonderland where everybody lives in million-dollar apartments and color coordinates their wardrobes for cocktail parties. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (480)

Caviar Garnish
This is the second remake of "The Shop Around the Corner". The first was Technicolor musical called "In the Good Old Summertime" which starred Judy Garland. References to Miss Garland's most famous film "The Wizard of Oz" abound in "You've Got Mail" (Meg Ryan hanging ruby slippers on a Christmas tree and reading the book "The Scarecrow of Oz" while ill, the song "Over the Rainbow" being sampled throughout and sung in its entirety at the end, etc.) In addition to reminding me of the two previous versions, I was also reminded of "Pillow Talk". In "Pillow Talk", Doris Day and Rock Hudson, who hate each other, fall in love over a party line without either realizing who the other is. Here, it's Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks falling in love over the Internet. The plot is lightweight and predictable, but the performances more than make up for that. Dabney Coleman, Jean Stapleton, Greg Kinnear, and indie-queen Parker Posey are all brilliant, and although neither of the leading rolls are much of a stretch for Hanks or Ryan, they are at least likeable and have more than enough star power to make this picture work. The script is light and funny, and this film is sure to please if you don't ask it to be more than it is.

The best romantic flick I've ever experienced.
There are a couple of things this film has going for it. First is the chemistry between the on-screen characters. There's a reason Hanks and Ryan were casted for this flick- it's because audiences (including myself) like to see the sparks between these two people. They were a great team in Sleepless in Seattle, and it's pretty obvious the 'magic' is still there.

The soundtrack to this movie is absolutely incredible. Harry Nilsson is perfect (the puppy song, over the rainbow), and the rest of the songs fit so well with the mood of the movie at all times. Sinead O'Conner's addition (I think it's called the lord must live in NY city) adds to the mood I talk about later, and Carol King's Anyone At All is one of the best romantic songs I've ever heard/played.

The mood to the movie is always incredibly upbeat- which is strange- most movies have their lulls or depressing moments. This movie, however, never gets itself in that rut. It's always very very cheery and bright. Although some may hate that, I can do nothing but appreciate the change of style. Everytime I watch You've Got Mail, I just think, "I WANT TO GO TO NEW YORK!!!"

Overall, the movie just makes you feel good. It's one of my favorite movies, and is certainly my most favorite romantic film. Even techies won't get annoyed, because thank goodness the focus isn't aol or anything of that matter.

Bouquets of sharpened pencils, indeed
Here's the main and completely irrelevant reason to love this movie: New York City in the fall. Honestly, it should have no bearing whatsoever on the plot, but it does -- and it's impossible not to fall in love with the bright, sunshiny, orange-leaved sheer beauty of the city encapsulated in this movie. Without even resorting to shots of Central Park in all its glory (and really, who can resist that?), "You've Got Mail" takes you on a lovely scenic tour of the Upper West Side, Starbucks and all. Who can resist the street fairs, the parks, the stores, the dock? It's picture-perfect, and if it's a bit surreal, I won't admit it: New York really is rather lovely in the fall.

Aside from making me want to run away to the Big Apple and work in the children's section at Fox Books, "You've Got Mail" also features Meg Ryan at her most adorable ("Aren't daisies just the friendliest flower?"), Tom Hanks at his most charming, and a terrific supporting cast (Greg Kinnear and those typewriters!). The story, a modernized little "remake" of "The Shop Around The Corner", is more fairy tale than realism -- two people fall in love over email, in war in real life, and however can such a thing be solved -- but it's an enchanting story nonetheless. In a time when romance on the web seems all-too-seedy and in reality, sometimes frankly dangerous, this little tale of two people sharing their most intimate thoughts long before they share a single glance is like a breath of fresh air. Sure, the technology's a little faded, but the magic's still there.

I know, I know...
I know what you're thinking. Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear. You think you're too good for this movie, don't you? It's the sappiest, dumpiest little half-a-flick ever reared by Nora Ephron. Romantic comedies suck. Do I paint a correct picture, or do I exagerate? Well I think you're just cinematically jaded.

Yeah, that's right! I said it!

A lifetime of Vietnam movies and tragic love stories has left you too cynical to enjoy a simple romance between two adults. Teenagers getting into car crashes, mothers being diagnosed with breast cancer, murderers who you like despite the fact that they're pure evil. These are the cinematic icons that appeal to you, yes? Well what about hard-edged bookstore manager and idealistic bookshop owner? What about oddly-principled boyfriend who owns two identical typewriters? What about...uh...Jean Stapleton? She was funny, right?

Look, the point is it doesn't suck and don't judge it just because it's a Hanks/Ryan romantic comedy on par with "Sleepless In Seattle" (Which was a good one too, by the way).

Although, I still prefer the original "Shop Around the Corner" with Jimmy "Not Bow-Legged" Stewart.

Clever!
This is an excellent updated version of "The Little Shop Around The Corner" with anonymous penpals using email instead of the letters used in the original with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks,as always,make a great team. ... Read more

Reviews (125)

Personal Best -robthenob@hotmail.com
In 1995 I was up in Scotland with five of my best friends whom had literally come from the four corners of the earth for the occasion. We travelled around the beautiful country, camping where we could and generally enjoying our freedom and youth. One particular spot that we stayed at was on the North West coast of Scotland, on a small, remote peninsula next to a white sanded beach with a view towards the Isles of Muck and Rum. After being there for a couple of days, we were told by a passing local that the beach was the very one that Local Hero was filmed on, and the peninsula where we had been camped for the past two days is where the church in the film was situated (it was apparently a set, made around an old house that still exists). At this point I had not seen the movie but knew the soundtrack by Mark Knopfler very well. The holiday I had that year was without a doubt one of the best I've ever had. Two years later on returning to NZ, I watched Local Hero with tears in my eyes, I couldn't believe that my favourite place in all the world was captured on an exceptionally beautiful, quirky, strangely romantic, and intelligent film. Overall I think that the general gist of the film is one of awakening our senses to the simple things in life, just like MacIntyre did on arriving at that small coastal village. We all need, at some point in our lives, to escape the hum-drum of every day life and awaken ourselves to the real life outside of our own. It is a wonderful, gentle film that will always be a part of me. P.S. I have omitted the exact name and location so that it is not overrun with tourists, but if you really want to know, send me an E-mail.

One of my all-time favorites!
I am dating myself woefully, but I remember seeing this film when it came out in theatres. I trekked some distance (via bus) down to some theatre in Hollywood (I'm from another part of L.A.) because it wasn't showing anywhere nearby. I wanted to see it *that* bad. And I certainly wasn't disappointed.

When I finally got a DVD player, one of the first DVDs I got was "Local Hero". It's definitely on my "must-have" list.

The story is simple -- materialistic Peter Reigert is sent to a small Scottish village to try to negotiate a land deal for his rich, eccentric boss (Burt Lancaster, who is outstanding). He arrives in Scotland as a guy who is only obsessed with business deals, his car, and his posessions back in Texas, but soon he learns there are more important things in life. The townsfolk are absolutely wonderful, all in their own unique, eclectic way. Denis Lawson particularly shines as "jack of all trades" who holds several positions in the community, including innkeeper.

The oddness and beauty of this film takes time to unfold, and it is best just to sit back and watch it happen. Everyone seems to have a story, everyone is eccentric in some way. I especially loved Burt Lancaster and his interaction with his "therapist", who takes the job *far* too seriously. Lancaster plays one of the most likeable and unique characters onscreen. Reigert too, is endearing. He so wants to be "normal" that he can't even admit that he might use a shampoo for dry or greasy hair. "Normal. EXTRA normal.", he says, when asked what kind of shampoo he needs. What an uptight guy he seems at first, but he soon mends his ways.

The score by Mark Knopfler is among one of my favorites too. I can play it and it brings back the whole atmosphere and mood of this film. The musical piece played at the end of the movie is heart-wrenching and brings back the sweetness of the end of this fine movie every time I hear it.

Director Bill Forsythe created an absolute gem in this movie. A must-have in *every* film collection. Absolutely first-rate.

difference of opinion
This is one of those movies that you watch and finally when the credits roll you kick yourself for wasting the time and effort to do so.
The bomb dropping jets? The guy on the motorcycle? The briefly hit on relationship between Mac and the other guy's wife? The marine biologist turning into a mermaid? Please, some one explain the relivance.
The ending seemed as though the writer needed a quick way out of a poorly written movie. I'll bet Burt Lancaster turns in his grave (is he dead?-if he isn't he should be after making this dud) every time some one waist their time trying to watch this movie.
The main reason I watched the movie was because of the soundtrack that was written by Marc Knopfler-great music, terrible movie.

Where's Bill Forsythe when we need him?
This movie really did inspire me. I got up the nerve to make a solo trip around Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

The scenes, characters and sounds of this movie are simply unforgettable. For sure, it's a cold heart that won't come out speakin' with a Scots accent with a touch of Russia.

You can go home again.
A very charming movie that bears up well under repeated viewings. Bill Forsyth has done so many good movies over the years, but I think this remains his best. Certainly, it is the closest to home, as he beautifully plays off the American-Scotland theme and the sense of misplaced identity.

Peter Riegert is great as Mac, a representative of a large Houston oil company who has been chosen to close a deal on a harbor village in the north of Scotland, because of his presumed Scottish ancestry. Turns out Mac is of Hungarian, not Scottish descent, as his parents thought MacIntyre was an American name. Nevertheless, Mac soon finds himself adapting to the rugged North Sea coast, picking seashells from the tidal pools and adopting a rabbit his driver had inadvertantly hit on the road.

Forsyth introduces the viewer to a wonderfully eccentric cast of characters in the small village, led by the amicable Gordon Urquhart, mayor, innkeeper, accountant and jack of all trades. Mac finds himself falling in love with Gordon's wife, but the playful romance is treated more in jest than in an attempt to foil the plot. It is in a grizzled beachcomber that we find the perfect foil to the land deal, which eventually brings the head of the oil commpany, Mr. Knox (played to perfection by Burt Lancaster) to Scotland.

You will fall in love with this movie, as I did, carried along by its charm and beautifully poignant moments. Forsyth doesn't miss a beat in this playful movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Zhang Yimou brings the sumptuous visual style of his previous films (Raise the Red Lantern, Shanghai Triad) to the high-kicking kung fu genre. A nameless warrior (Jet Li, Romeo Must Die, Once Upon a Time in China) arrives at an emperor's palace with three weapons, each belonging to a famous assassin who had sworn to kill the emperor. As the nameless man spins out his story--and the emperor presents his own interpretation of what might really have happened--each episode is drenched in red, blue, white or another dominant color. Hero combines sweeping cinematography and superb performances from the cream of the Hong Kong cinema (Maggie Cheung, Irma Vep, Comrades: Almost a Love Story; Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, In the Mood for Love, Hard Boiled; and Zhang Ziyi, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). The result is stunning, a dazzling action movie with an emotional richness that deepens with every step. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (310)

Thrilling Hero
With "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers" director Zhang Yimou has jettisoned to the forefront of filmmakers working today.There is no denying that Yimou has a distinctively strong visual style.That said, if it's all style and no substance, so what?"Hero" is blessed with a good narrative.Essentially, the theme of the film is what defines a hero.The answers that Yimou offers are both surprising and enlightening.Strong cast that includes Jet Li and Ziyi Zhang.Essential viewing.

Beautiful Film, but where was Jet Li?
Okay, Zhang Yimou is one of the all-time great film directors and i love his movies, though this one came across as a Disney cartoon done in real-life. My main complaint is that he didn't give Jet much to do. The part of the so-called Hero was a wooden, 2-dimensional character who wasn't on screen much. Instead, the story is really a visual tapestry of how China became united, without much dialog. Whatever. Great for kids, I guess.

Pure Visual Poetry: Story, Myth, Heart, Emotion, & Beauty
Okay, people...let's get a hold of ourselves.Many have knocked the martial arts sequences in HERO as being horribly unrealistic and that this fact has ruined the movie.Nothing could be further from the truth.True, the martial arts in this film are not the "realistic" acrobatics of Jackie Chan.Instead, it is pure visual poetry.These martial arts sequences are absolutely beautiful to watch.Anyone that can watch them without coming away with a sense of awe is just plain blind in my book.

In fact, that goes for the entire movie.HERO is one of the most gorgeous films I have seen in a long time.Not only are the sequences superb, but the scenic locations are also breathtaking.Moreover, the extensive use of color is astounding.While watching it, I felt completely transported into a different world and found myself lost in the film's sheer beauty.Furthermore, the mythical story is extremely complex, interweaving several themes & variations of the central plot.The audience gradually discovers the truth of this film and it continued to surprise me throughout its length.

I am not sure why so many people did not like this film.I can only guess that they were expecting a pure-action film with Jet Li taking on a country, "Rambo" style.I, for one, am happy that we were treated to something more.HERO has plot, heart, emotion, and style.And let us not forget the outstanding action it does provide: the action sequences in this film are some of the best ever captured on film.Highly recommended.

Not sure what multiple narratives is for
Basically, I think the graphic, plot, and theme all work fine and those who enjoy plays should be able to enjoy this movie as well (at least, I do). A major part of the movie, i think, is devoted to delineating and discovering of perspectives (narratives, you might say) related to the proper fate of China proper. In the end, a supposedly supported perspectives is revealed and the death of some characters might represent the painful but necessary abdication/self-annihilation for a better future. Even if there can be a better future, it necessarily involves an excruciating self-negating process. Something passionate, tender, free or even righteous must be given up. I'm not sure if every character and plot fits into this major theme very well because some do seem a little bit distracting, but still entertaining (nothing really needs to make sense as long as you like it).
Some might think the implied theme of reunification is a serious problem. I wouldn't totally agree with it for the reason the emperor wants to unify China and three characters give up assasinating him is for the longer peace of China. "If you want peace, prepare for war." This is from Punisher, but it explains the logic well. However, I seriously doubt that the director made this movie to condemn Chinese nationalism, though I don't know if any trace of anti-cosmopolitanism is obvious in it.
Anyway, graphic is cool, plot acceptable, theme...a little bit cliche, and, because the theme cliche, the use of multiple narrative might seem childlish and rather less challenging. But for those who really have no idea about Chinese history during the end of Chou dynasty and the present situation between the strait, it might be interesting. That is why I gave it three stars. If I have know zero about China, I might give it four and a half.

I didn't see the point of the movie
This movie basically tells one story in a few different ways.A warrior and friends are attempting to kill the emperor.That is about it for plot.There are several martial arts scences in this movie, but most of them are just too unbelievable.In one scene, the main character single handedly stops hundreds of arrows without even getting hit once.This is impossible, and that is coming from someone who used to watch DragonBall Z.

There are also to many inane comparison of fighting to various things.Fighting is compared to music and to caligraphy, which both have nothing to do with fighting.The is even a long, drawn out story plot in the movie involving caligraphy, which I found really boring and did not really feel that it served a purpose in the movie.

The ending of this movie is also very disappointing.I'm not going to ruin it, but I will say that it made the movie seem rather pointless.I really don't know why the main character was considered a hero, and frankly think that the movie was too limited on plot and did not even have a good story to begin with. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Even before it premiered on September 13, 1977 (Tuesdays at 9:30 pm on ABC), Soap was mired in controversy (including 32,000 letters of protest) and primed to make television history. Conceived as a primetime satire of daytime melodramas, this groundbreaking series toppled many of the TV taboos that remained after All in the Family and M*A*S*H, openly addressing a variety of risky topics (homosexuality, infidelity, impotence, familial murder) with a deft combination of irreverent wit, wacky slapstick, supreme stupidity, and--key to its success--engaging drama from characters you could really care about, regardless of their rampant quirks and foibles.

As a friendly announcer informs us, "this is the story of two sisters" in suburban Connecticut--wealthy dimwit Jessica Tate (Katherine Helmond) and blue-collar housewife Mary Campbell (Cathryn Damon)--whose class-divided families are bound by enough scandalous secrets to make each of these 25 episodes (all written by creator-producer Susan Harris and directed by sitcom veteran Jay Sandrich) a polished gem of half-hour comedy. The integration of plot and character is flawless, and dirty laundry was rarely this absurd: Jessica's cheating on her cheating husband (Robert Mandan, the show's underrated lynchpin); stepson Jodie (Billy Crystal) is (gasp!) openly gay, and brother Danny (Ted Wass) has Mafia connections; daughter Corrine (Diana Canova) is in love with a priest; Mary's husband Burt (manic genius Richard Mulligan) is a would-be killer who thinks he's invisible; and all of them are suspects in a murder case that fuels the season's cliffhanger finale.

This is ensemble comedy at its finest, and is it any wonder Robert Guillaume--as the Tates' insolent servant Benson--got his own spin-off sitcom in 1979? His line readings (such as "You want me to get that?" when the doorbell rings) are instant classics, and while Helmond tops the cast with her inimitable brand of idiocy, there's not a weak link in the entire cast. All those protesting prudes fought a futile battle: Soap was never naughty without purpose (indeed, the show possesses subtle integrity) and a large and loyal audience propelled it to even crazier heights in subsequent seasons. (Technical note: Given the shortcomings of 25-year-old videotape, with minor glitches and color variations, these episodes look and sound remarkably good.) --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Excellent Show That Deserves a Better DVD
What can I say about this groundbreaking hit TV show from 1977 that other reviewers haven't already said? This is an excellent, hilarious soap opera spoof that focuses on two familes whose only link is the matriachs, Jessica and Mary, two sisters. Well, Jessica is also sleeping with Mary's stepson, so I guess there are more links. Several funny storylines are woven together in this first season, culiminating with a classic murder mystery that stretches for twelve of the 25 episodes.

This is definitely a five star TV show, but the DVD production is severely lacking. Not only are a couple of episodes edited, as previously reported, but there are no extras to speak of (unless you count movie trailers). I can easily recommend this collection to purchase, just due to the excellent episodes of this series that you will get. However, Soap deserved more effort from Columbia House, and one can only hope they release season two with complete, unedited episodes. Knowing their history, however, extras will probably continue to be a pipe dream.

Can't Wait For More "Soap!
The is a very nice first season release of the classic sitcom "Soap." Stellar writing, acting and directing makes this show a cut above most things on tv today. Though time has not been kind to the video quality of some of the episodes, these dvds still look much better then the reruns on TVLand or Comedy Central. Do not hesitate to buy this fine set. I hope that Colubia Tri-Star delivers us seasons 2-4, because this show deserves to be preserved and seen in the dvd format. Perhaps they can include the two 90 minute "Soap" retrospectives that were put on VHS in the mid-1990's as part of future sets.

still as funny as ever
Even after 27 years this is still a great show. Ok so there is some minor editing of episodes on the DVD but so what, I can't see why so many are getting so worked up about it. If you liked it in 77 you will love it now.

Fantastic show, barely adequate release
In today's entertainment climate, it's hard to imagine how the content of Soap was enough to warrant the flood of letters received by the network in criticism of the show, but in 1977, Soap was quite a scandal; before the first episode even aired!

It's also hard to believe that Soap's quirky, off-beat premise has never been duplicated, as over 25 years later, it still stands as a completely unique take on the traditional sitcom format. That's not to say that Soap hasn't dated at all - it does show its age in a number of places, although certainly much less than many of its contemporaries in the television world; Soap remains, overall, a breath of fresh air.

The formula is remarkably simple: Take two families so dysfunctional that they make The Simpsons seem like paragons of fine social behaviour, and throw them into insane soap-opera-esque situations, with each episode following on from the last and the plots gradually getting more and more exagerated, ridiculous, and labyrinthine, blatantly parodying the numerous soap operas that plague network TV, even to this day.

It could have been an unmitigated disaster, as attempts to create "wacky" TV often result in an unintelligent, directionless mess that seems like nothing more than a series of failed attempts to elicit a laugh from the audience. Not so with Soap. It's partly because the writing was sharp, and often witty with some fantastic one-liners. It's partly due to strong characters that you could actually feel for, when the show took one of its more serious turns. It has a lot to do with an incredible ensemble cast who each provided perfectly timed deliveries and a neverending array facial expressions that were often as entertaining as the writing itself.

Based upon the quality of the material, I won't hesitate to recommend this DVD set, particularly to those who've never experienced the show. Its very nature does, after all, require it to be viewed in order, for maximum enjoyment, and this boxed set offers the opportunity. (While TV Land insist on only purchasing the rights to a group of episodes from the second season, and airing them incessantly).

So whilst fans of the show should rush out and buy this set, and those who have never seen it should pay the (very reasonable) asking price to get a first look, the set does have a number of problems.

MOST forgiveable is the lack of extras. Most of us buy these things for the episodes, after all, but some decent extras can make what is a good set into an outstanding one.

STILL forgiveable is the cramming of 25 episodes onto 3 disks. Ordinarily, this might provoke a little more aggrivation, but the show was shot on videotape in the 1970s. A little less compression isn't going to do much to improve the picture, which is still the best this show has looked in a long while.

ANNOYING is the fact that a few episodes have been slightly edited. I understand that this isn't for time, nor content, but due to non-cleared music rights, which I can understand. These edits are small, and shouldn't disuade you from this purchase.

MOST DISGUSTING, however, is the fact that syndicated versions of two of these episodes were included, instead of the original, uncut versions. There's absolutely no reason for this, and it seems wholely sloppy. Thankfully, it's limited to just two episodes, but the producers of this set should be ashamed of themselves. I seriously hope this won't happen again for the second season set.

So, overall, a set with a few annoying quirks, but nevertheless the first 25 episodes of a show that would easily have been worth a five star rating should a little more care been taken with the release. At the asking price, it's a steal!

As funny as I remembered
I have enjoyed this set over and over and it is still funny. Comes on 3 seperate DVDs. Each has an option to play all which I find very helpful on series DVDs. I was disappointed that there are really no special features. I was hoping for interviews with the cast or at least a director. I would still highly recommend. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Good, but bogged down slightly
This was an enjoyable movie, but unfortunately it had many, many plot holes that made liking it difficult.

A spy-movie-enthralled young woman named Linda Voss ("half Jewish, half Irish") gets a job with a man named Ed Leland whom she suspects is a spy. Before long, they are lovers, but their budding relationship is dashed by World War II. Before you can say "Berlin strudel" she's whisked off to Germany as an undercover operative, to discover secret plans in the house of a handsome and sympathetic Nazi (the always-good Liam Neeson)

One of the problems is Melanie Griffith. She might be good in other roles, but as Voss she fails. Voss comes across as amazingly lucky and none too intelligent, constantly licking her lips in a very distracting way. Michael Douglas is completely convincing as Ed Leland, although he looks slightly embarrassed sometimes. Liam Neeson and Joely Richardson are excellent in their smaller roles.

Second problem is the attitude of the heroes. When Voss does not show up in time for the rendezvous, Leland disregards orders in favor of carrying her to the Swiss Border. Though it may seem heartless, an actual spy would have followed his orders and left Voss to die. In fact, we see the evidently smarter Germans such as Neeson's Dietrich and Richardson's Margrete following their orders despite their personal feelings about Voss.

Watch the movie if you are interested, but do not expect great accuracy.

A good comedy -- a bad war drama
I think I might have enjoyed "Shining Through" more if I'd been drunk. This movie is a fantastic ensemble comedy, but I don't think they were trying to make one! The only redeeming points of the movie were Liam Neeson and Joely Richardson's performances as a pair of Nazis.

Melanie Griffith plays Linda Voss, a young woman of mixed Irish and Jewish ancestry in World War II. Because of her linguistic skills, she's hired as a translator for Ed Leland (Michael Douglas), who works for the government as a spy (he keeps denying it, but she's seen movies so she knows better!). They become lovers, until his work comes between them. But no sooner have they been reunited than a spy is needed to sneak into Germany to find some bomb-related plans.

She's accompanied into Germany by Konrad "Sunflower" Friedrichs (Sir John Gielgud, who looks like he's always thinking "What am I doing in this movie?") and his niece Margrete Von Eberstein (Joely Richardson). Her position as a chef blows up on the first night, and she quickly finds herself hired as a nanny by elite Nazi official Franz-Otto Dietrich (Liam Neeson, Richardson's now-brother-in-law). And now that she's inside his house, she has only a limited amount of time to find the plans.

I don't think the people who made this movie wanted me to like the Nazis more than the Americans, but unfortunately the Nazis are a lot more likeable. Richardson comes across as competant and multifaceted, divided in her loyalties; Neeson comes across as a loving father, a nice sensitive guy (we don't ever hear of him actually doing anything bad!) with big puppy-dog eyes. Frankly it's hard not to like him, especially compared to the insensitive clod Leland. Douglas looks unhappy and embarrassed all throughout the movie, he's as stiff and cold as a pine board, and Griffith's performance is the stuff of nightmares.

It doesn't help that the best description of Linda is "ditzy blonde." She gets all her info about spies from movies, whines when Douglas goes on missions, and thinks she's qualified to be a spy because she can make strudel. (In one scene she runs through a crowded street chanting a secret password out loud!) She also mouths off to everyone in a way that would not be tolerated in a mere secretary (prepare to cringe when she says "My other half's Irish"), and bungles everything spy-related.

I would say this is a movie best shown to young children but there's a fair amount of profanity, violence, and a detailed sex scene. The direction is pretty terrible -- you'd think WWII included only a handful of people. The Nazis have none of the casual amorality that the real people did. There are one or two creepy, freaky moments that work, like the German woman who exults that the house they took from a Jewish family had everything they wanted (even bedsheets with correct monograms), but they're few and far between. If they'd had Dietrich doing something, anything wrong, then it might have worked. There are a few moments of intentional comedy ("That pompous little (butt) ate a raw bird to prove it was edible!") but most of the comedy is totally accidental. ("What's a war for if not to hold on to what we love?" Gaaaaaggg!)

I only can recommend this to fans of Joely and Liam, because they are the only ones who actually have good roles to play. "Schindler's List" this ain't!

Shining Through
If it were possible to give this movie a six star rating, I would. Besides being a GREAT movie, the soundtrack helps push this movie to more enjoyment. Moonlight Serenade, I'll Be seeing You, Goodnight Sweetheart and the main musical score lingers pleasantly in your mind long after the movie ends. I recommend it to all who has ever been in love.

Rips the emotional guts from the book
I have a hard time liking this movie because it made such a travesty of Susan Isaacs' book. The book, as originally written, was a classic ugly duckling-to-swan story set in New York, Washington, and Germany during World War II. Linda Voss, the character played by Melanie Griffith, was a working class girl in love with and eventually married to her gorgeous cad of a boss. She had the brains; he had the social cachet. They move to Washington, she gets a job as secretary to a top intelligence agent (played by Michael Douglas), the marriage founders, and in despair she signs up as an undercover agent. The rest of the movie follows the book's plot fairly closely, although the Douglas character does NOT figure in as a romantic interest until the very end. In the book, he's Linda's unexpected reward--pure gold where her husband was only gold-plated. The movie, by simplifying the story, guts its emotional core and turns a contemporary fairy tale into your basic trite Hollywood production--glitzy but without a heart.

That said, there are some strong performances in the movie. Douglas's stiffness makes much more sense in the context of the book, but doesn't work in the movie as filmed. Griffith is Griffith--you either love her or hate her. Liam Neeson is good, as is Joely Richardson (although the "Mein Gott, you have guts" line is a bit over the top). There are some suspenseful moments in the scenes in Nazi Germany. At times the movie's enjoyable, but overall, it disappoints.

Excellent film, with excellent acting!
I have loved this film since I saw it when it first came out on VHS! In fact, I watched it so many times that I ruined the tape. The story is engrossing, and the acting is top-notch! The obvious chemistry between Melanie Griffith and Michael Douglas made the film so much more realistic. I can't say enough good things about it. I am eagerly anticipating the film's release on DVD so I can add it to my growing collection of excellent films. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Excellent!
Silver Streak is one of my favorite 70's movies and is an excellent mix of comedy with mystery and suspense, everyone is great in this movie, Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor, Jill Clayburg, Patrick McGoohan, etc, the movie also has one of the best endings I have ever seen in a movie and this is a movie I defintely could watch again!

A Holiday
SILVER STREAK needs to come out in a restored letterboxed DVD (adding the reminiscences of the stars on an alternative track would be great - but seems unlikely given Gene Wilder's and Richard Pryor's health concerns). Sitting down to watch this movie is like embarking on a weekend holiday with a group of terrific friends. You feel the excitement as you step on the train with Gene Wilder's character, and you're off! For anyone nostalgic for the 70's, this has the clothes, the cheesy decor, the innocent sense that saying "dirty words" was naughty and funny, and of course it has Pryor and Wilder -- two of the decade's greatest icons. Wilder in his prime here projects a sweetness and grace that is one-of-a-kind, and so endearing. Pryor is at the height of his hilarious talent and skill. Their pairing produced magic. Fine direction from Arthur Hiller following a warm-hearted script by Colin Higgins.

DVD Edition Needed
Really like to see this movie in DVD!!

Vote for DVD version
One of my all-time favorites. Still waiting for the DVD. If you would like to see this movie on DVD, do a search for the DVD on Amazon (it's now actually listed) and enter your e-mail address to be notifed of it's release. This information is passed onto the studio.

Please release this on DVD
This is Gene Wilder's best movie and it is one of the best adventure/comedies that came out of the 70's. I feel this is Gene and Richard Pryor's best film together and I just can't believe they haven't released it on dvd.

I watch it whenever it is on cable and was very disappointed to see that it is only available in VHS format.

It would be wonderful if they would release it on DVD with special features and to have Gene, Richard and Jill's commentaries would be an added treat.

So many movies are being released every week on dvd that aren't even close to being as good as this one - I don't understand why it takes so long to get some of these classics on dvd.

If you haven't seen it, and you love Gene and Richard, you won't be disappointed - the comedy is great and the scenery is wonderful also. I have taken Amtrack through the Rockies, and this brings back some fond memories, even though it was filmed in Canada, the scenery is just as beautiful.

I also love the woman who always calls him "Steve."

I just rented Stir Crazy, The Woman in Red, and bought Hanky Panky and although I think they're good, this is still Gene's best movie - I even like it better than Willie Wonka!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

More timely now, perhaps, than when it was first released in 1957, Elia Kazan's overheated political melodrama explores the dangerous manipulative power of pop culture. It exposes the underside of Capra-corn populism, as exemplified in the optimistic fable of grassroots punditry Meet John Doe. In Kazan's account, scripted by Budd Schulberg, the common-man pontificator (Andy Griffith) is no Gary Cooper-style aw-shucks paragon. Promoted to national fame as a folksy TV idol by radio producer Patricia Neal, Griffith's Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes turns out to be a megalomaniacal rat bastard. The film turns apocalyptic as Rhodes exploits his power to sway the masses, helping to elect a reactionary presidential candidate. The parodies of television commercials and opinion polling were cutting edge in their day (Face in the Crowd was the Network of the Eisenhower era), and there are some startling, near-documentary sequences shot on location in Arkansas. An extraordinary supporting cast (led by Walter Matthau and Lee Remick) helps keep the energy level high, even when the satire turns shrill and unpersuasive in the final reel. There's an interesting parallel in Tim Robbins's snide pseudodocumentary Bob Roberts: both these pictures have almost as much contempt for the lemmings in the audience as for the manipulative monsters who herd them over the cliff. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Cognitive Dissonance
My image of Andy Griffith as and actor and as a person has always been positive. I don't know him, he may be the biggest jerk in the world for all I know, but he has managed his public image well and has kept his name unsullied by sordid rumors, so I have always liked him.
If your image of Griffith is the same, and you have never seen this movie, brace yourself for the cognitive dissonance you will feel when you watch this! Griffith turns in a powerful performance as a hobo troubador who is "discovered" by a small-town radio host while in jail and then uses the opportunities that unfold to rocket to fame as a canny, folksy and cynical television entertainer and pundit.
My take after watching the movie is that Griffith's character, Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes, was always self-centered but was quite the ladies man as well. He found with Patricia Neal's help that he could use his folksy manner to get what he wanted. He also found that simple folks fell for and identified with his cornpone stories. But it was his handlers who led him to believe his own press and that his insight was indispensable in every situation.
Kazan and Schulburg use the movie as a vehicle to show not only how television could be misused in politics, but also in advertising. With Rhodes as its spokesman, sales ofa worthless energy pill soared and so Rhodes became a sought-after spinmeister in other areas as well. Television does for Rhodes what radio did for the real-life folksy musician/politician Pappy O'Daniel.
On the romantic side, Rhodes was a real skirt-chaser, full of promises but always with his eye out for his next conquest. His come-uppance came when he jilted the woman who had helped bring him to his great heights for the charms of a groupie-like baton-twirling teenager (Lee Remick) he met when a judge at a twirling contest. The cliche is that "hell hath no fury...", and the jilted Patricia Neal lost no time in conspiring to bring him down. She got her chance when she burst in to the studio and aired for the nation to hear all of Griffith's contemptuous comments about his fan base to the bunch of "hayseeds" he used as a focus group on his show. That put a quick end to his popularity and the ranting,raving ending is really something to witness! It is left to the viewer's imagination as to whether Griffith follows through on his threat to jump from his office tower if Neal leaves him.
I never heard of this movie until recently and bought it on the strength of a recommendation. I'm glad I did. You won't be sorry either when you add A Face In The Crowd to your DVD collection.

Media Fascist
At first the central premise of "A Face in the Crowd" was a little hard for me to swallow.I'd like to think that the general public is a little more discerning and would not be so easily taken in by a megalomaniac like Lonesome Rhodes.But then, the argument goes that Abe Lincoln would never be elected president today.When you think about it our more successful presidencies, depending on your political persuasion, would be Kennedy, Reagan, and Clinton who were all masters of the medium.I'd like to think of this film as more of a cautionary tale of the dangers of the new medium of television.Director Elia Kazan from a script by Budd Schulberg have crafted their parable quite well.I would like to think that Rhodes is not quite the monster that he inevitably became, that he started his career humbly and with good intentions only to be corrupted by forces that manipulated him to the darker side.Andy Griffith, in probably one of the most criminally overlooked performances in American film history, is simply mesmerizing as Rhodes.He manages to convey the folksiness tainted with contempt and self-loathing that ultimately is Lonesome Rhodes.Patricia Neal is superb as Marcia Jeffries, the woman who discovers Rhodes and has mixed emotions about his fame.Walter Matthau is also good as Mel Miller, a writer on Rhodes' show who feels he's sold his soul in the process.I am trying to think of another film that tackled the beast that is television and the only comparable one that comes to mind is "Network".By all means check out the documentary on the film that includes reminisces from Griffith, Neal, and Schulberg.One priceless moment is Griffith recalling the filming of the baton-twirlers scene.

The First Andy Griffith Show
If you are a big fan of the great TV series, "The Andy Griffith Show"(and who isn't), you might want to think twice about watching "A Face in the Crowd".This is NOT the same character.There is a brilliant mind behind the easy-going "ah shucks" delivery in each of the characters.However, the sheriff always does the right thing, while Lonesome the drifter seems to always do the wrong thing.Yet if you're a fan of the actor, Andy Griffith, you can't miss this movie; it's his best acting role bar none.

What makes "A Face in the Crowd" so impressive is its' foresight in understanding media, politics, and the ability of one to manipulate the other.After all, this movie was made in the mid-50's when the power of TV was little understood or appreciated.It may well have gotten reviews that ridiculed its' premise when it was released.Yet, seen today, it is an amazing study of how one man, with a willing media accomplice, can control public opinion.Griffith's evolution from a Saturday night drunk to one of THE most influencial persons in the county is brilliantly scripted and directed.In addition to Andy Griffith, there is a very worthy cast.

Most of us would love it if the world was like Mayberry.Unfortunately, "A Face in the Crowd" comes a lot closer to reality.

One of the Greatest of ALL films....
Having read others' comments here (and on IMDB) and having just watched its new DVD, I'll add my two cents. This has been one of my faves since first seeing it (too) long ago. Well, it is more relevant than ever and should be seen be everyone (literally)!! I notice some (likely younger) folks mentioned comparisons to some politicians, but indeed Lonesome Rhodes was based on the phenomenally successful (and notoriously haughty) radio & early TV host Arthur Godfrey. Yes, Godfrey discovered Julius La Rosa, but La Rosa probably got fired for asking for a raise (after becoming very popular, both on the show and solo records). Apparently Arthur, like Lawrence Welk, was a cheap prick who only paid scale -- no matter what the tenure or how successful were his performers.

"A Face In the Crowd" was most definitely social commentary, NOT satire; although, as one from that era, I can understand why it seemed so to many at the time. It's apparent why it inspired so many future talents! That this film was not nominated on its own merits due to political differences/grudges is a GD crime!!!Can't say why Andy Griffith wasn't, but he sure deserved it... Awesome!! So awesome, it actually effected his personal life.

Anyway, re: politicians, "A Face In the Crowd" was a prescient warning of the dangers of that new media (TV), thus akin to those who subsequently capitalized on its propaganda potential and the *science* of people's weakness of mistaking "image" for truth!

But Kazan was not simply a great director; he was perhaps the most socially conscious of all Hollywood directors!! And he was one of the greatest actors' directors; hence, one reason why you never saw an Andy Griffith act like this in film again! (The DVD also has an excellent up-to-date documentary about the making of AFITC and its genesis, with many pertinent historical tidbits re: Kazan.)

In just 21 films, Kazan directed at least 10 GREAT films:
"America, America" (1963), "Wild River" (1960), "Baby Doll" (1956), "East of Eden" (1955), "On the Waterfront" (1954), "Viva Zapata!" (1952), "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951), "Panic in the Streets" (1950), "Gentleman's Agreement" (1947), and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" (1945).

In his films, 21 different actors had Oscar-nominated performances: James Dunn, Celeste Holm, Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, Anne Revere, Jeanne Crain, Ethel Barrymore, Ethel Waters, Karl Malden, Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter, Marlon Brando, Anthony Quinn, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Jo Van Fleet, James Dean, Carroll Baker, Mildred Dunnock, and Natalie Wood -- of which Dunn, Holm, Malden, Leigh, Hunter, Quinn, Brando, Saint and Van Fleet ALL won Oscars for their performances in one of Kazan's movies.

Not too shabby, eh!?

A great film with a great cast...
Beginning there, it is hard to go wrong.Andy Griffith plays a drifter/con man who can play the guitar and tell stories.He is discovered by Patricia Neal's character and he begins a "Will Rogers" type of career.Part humorist, part philosopher, and all-round phony, he parlays his talent into a national following which builds to a stunning climax.

What I liked about this film was its depth and the talent of the actors. Director Elia Kazan was fantastic in what I believe to be his finest picture.The emotions he drew out of the actors was fantastic! Everyone was perfect in their respective roles.This is also a movie you won't grow tired of watching.When you see it a few times, you notice things you didn't catch the first go-round.This one's a keeper! ... Read more

Reviews (272)

Another masterpiece from Guy Ritchie
Highly talented writer/director Guy Ritchie delivers another masterpiece with Snatch, that equals the sheer quality and genius of his other masterpiece, Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrells. Once again the film is edgy with vast undertones of dark, gritty realism centering on the underworld but refreshingly encapsulates a darkly humorous side to it making the film have an even balance and therefore making it more enjoyable and entertaining in the process. The film has a host of subplots all shrewdly linked to the main storyline and a wealth of characters including a couple of likeley Cockney lads who are two novice unlicensed boxing promotors, Turkish (Jason Statham) and Tommy (Stephen Graham), fellow boxing promotor Brick Top (Alan Ford), Mickey O'Neil played by Brad Pitt as an Irish gypsy who gets roped into the boxing match where his opposition is rigged to win, Avi (Dennis Farina) as the man due to deliver a stolen 86 carat diamond and Bullet Tooth Villain (Vinnie Jones) who Avi hires to trace the diamond after he is robbed. The characters and performances are superb and vastly convincing, the host of plots are well-structured and the attutude-laced dialogue rides along like a roller coaster. Snatch on the whole is an utterly compelling film that will grip your attention and not let it go until the film is completed. Essential viewing and the extra features on this DVD are an added bonus. Highly recommended!

Chaotic, kinetic and outrageous fun
Snatch is a fast-paced gangster thriller from England. Like many such British films, it is equal parts drama and black comedy. Our friends in the UK may take crime seriously, but they can't bring themselves to do the same with criminals. Perhaps there is a lesson for us there. I thoroughly enjoyed Snatch, but I must warn you that the accents can sometimes be hard to understand. The one used by Brad Pitt is intentionally indecipherable. Fortunately, I watched the DVD version, which has an option that puts subtitles on the screen whenever Mt. Pitt speaks. The video edition does not have this feature, but that doesn't matter too much. His dazzling performance is entirely physical in nature, so what does it matter what he has to sa