Reviews (110)

Best College Comedy EVER
Maybe it's just that I was in college when this film came out, maybe it's that I'm a big Val Kilmer fan, but whatever the reason, Real Genius is one of the funniest films ever made. It contains what I consider to be the single funniest line ever put on film ("Was it a dream where you see yourself in sort of sun God robes on a pyramid, with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you? Why am I the only person that has that dream?"). The mostly never heard from again cast (aside from Kilmer and Atherton) does a great job, and Martha Coolidge directs her best effort with a perfect contemporary soundtrack (though another reviewer is *definitely* right about the music being mixed far higher than the dialog). All of that said, it is an incredible crime against all people my age (mid to late 30s) that this DVD has **NO** features. An interview or commentary by Kilmer would be a must (not to mention director Coolidge). Kilmer told *great* stories at the time about his research for the role with the brainiacs at Pepperdine ... those should be ON THE DVD. What is it about these studio people that they don't get the whole point of the DVD medium. Putting just the film on DVD makes the studio look stupid, makes it clear they don't care about the film, and it's insulting to those of us who have been anxiously awaiting this release.

The greatest movie ever made...and then some.
"Real Genius" is the BEST movie I have ever seen. I saw it for the first time when I was about 3 (I'm 15 now). And heck, even at that age, I loved it! Of course, I didn't understand it, but I still thought it was cool. And now 12 years later, after upwards of 100 viewings, it is my favorite movie. Why? Because it's perfect! The quintessential 80's comedy movie.

A lot of people think the magic of this awesome flick is in Val Kilmer...and yes, I'll admit, he hits every line perfectly and is quite a hottie...but I think we should all give serious kudos to Gabriel Jarret - the awesome co-star. Okay, so maybe he's not a stud like Val (Gabriel is teddy-bear cute in this movie. You just wanna pinch his cheek!), but he's still great. He's got the whole mama's boy thing going on as Mitch, and he really makes his character come to life. He plays a shy, quiet, geeky 15 year-old perfectly (BTW, does anyone know how old he was when he did this movie?).

But anyway, one of the neatest things about "Real Genius" is its incredible, believable, totally quotable script. You'll find a new favorite quote every time you watch it (and trust me - watching it once isn't enough).

Okay, I've blabbered on enough. SEE THIS MOVIE ~ you will LOVE it!

~ Peace out ~

Lasing a stick of dynamite!
This is one of those movies that stays fun no matter how many times you see it year after year. Val Kilmer had made a couple of movies before this one, but this was his breakout role as the genius Chris Knight - a senior in college working on a project for his professor that he is largely indifferent to completing. Along comes the underage freshman, Mitch Taylor (wonderfully played by Gabriel Jarrett), who has been recruited to help finish the project.

The movie is really about Mitch finding his way in a high-pressure college situation. He endures Kent, the jerk that tortures him and who works in the same lab. Kent is not untalented, but not a genius like Chris or Mitch and resents the favoritism genius claims. Kent tries to get attention by sucking up to Prof. Hathaway (brilliantly played in all his corruption by William Atherton), but never gets what he is seeking.

As just one minor example of the riches in this movie is the scene when Mitch is going to a packed math class. Soon people start bringing small tape recorders to class and not attending. Mitch is one of the few actually listening to the prof. Finally, Mitch is the only one in the class, even the prof becomes a reel-to-reel tape player with a sign attached that says encourages the students to listen carefully. While changes in technology would make that scene impossible today, it is still wonderfully effective.

Mitch also meets Jordan, a girl who is so hyperactive she doesn't sleep, finds time to invent things as well as resurface the floor in her dorm room. Jordan is magnificently played by Michelle Myrink and is one of those characters you wish you knew in real life as a friend. Although, frankly, Jordan would be exhausting to know. But her intelligence, innocence and kindness would more than compensate for the energy you would have to expend keeping up with her.

The movie is populated with wonderful characters of all sorts. The plot is hung on a very 80s theme, but that's OK, the final scene draws it all together in spectacular and funny way.

A classic.

college should be like this
Real Genius is definitely a great film. I don't know that I would say it is Kilmer's best, but it does show off his considerable comic talent, and I consider it one of his best.

It is a delightful college romp with geeks aplenty, and the humor is a lot classier than Animal House, which is another good college flick. It is full of subtle and not so subtle satire on society, such as the botched saying ("like shooting ducks in a barrel") in the slick video boardroom presentation for the weapon concept, and the remark from one general after hearing about having a working weapon system by June - "Don't ask me, I haven't had a working weapon system since Korea."

I can't add anything about the Cal Tech trivia, but it did seem to me that the limo used for the weapon test looked an awful lot like JFK's ill-fated Dallas limo. Veiled commentary about the Military-Industrial Complex?

There is, of course, lots of geek/college humor, but nothing really gross. The sexual humor and references are pretty light, well handled, and fit in with the story. The humor covers the social commentary well, and the film makes its statements without preaching. It is a film I recommend to all students entering college. It is also one of those films that I watch regularly to boost my spirits and have a good time. It reminds one not to take onself too seriously. Highly recommended.

Movie Great, DVD blows
The movie itself is great. Cheesy, but a true 80s classic. Unfortunately, this DVD version is horrible. If you already own the VHS, don't bother with the DVD. There is nothing extra on the DVD at all. No commentary, no notes, no trivia, no cast info, no original trailers, nothing. Totally slapped together. I'm sick of McDVDs like this. Personally, I'm waiting for the Special Edition that you *just know* they will crank out once the market is saturated with this version. ... Read more

Description

No matter what rolls in on the tides of time, California surfing buddies Matt, Jack, and Leroy know they'll stick together. And, they know they'll be ready when a rare 20-foot swell hits the coast at last. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

SURF MOVIE OF THE CENTURY!
This movie is regarded as a surf classic and rightly so. Slickly produced, consisting of a series of vignettes over 13 years it gives a non-surfing person a revealing insight into the surf culture. The still-thorny issue of the Vietnam War is dealt with and the transition from the swinging sixties into the seventies is handled very well (a technique John Milius perfected in his 1983 classic Uncommon Valor which incidentally pre-dated the much hyped Rambo First Blood II by nearly two years). The climax of the film is the surf footage at the end depicting the legendary day of a lifetime, Big Wednesday. The only negative is the thought that the two stars, Jan Michael Vincent and Gary Busey threw away their lives after this movie due to drug addiction (Busey almost died from an overdose in 1994). Another negative is that some of the surfing terminology in the book didn't make it to the film. In the book, the car is referred to as "The Makeshift" - it isn't in the film. Still, if you cast these things out of your mind for 100 minutes you will experience something truly special. You won't be disappointed.

Early acting at its best...
This film is phenomenal in that it brings not only William Katt, Gary Busey and Jan Michael Vincent together but also introduces many new faces to 80's film and television such as Robert England (aka Freddie Krueger) and Steve Kanaly (aka Dallas). The film, although originally thought of as a surfing movie is far from that. It is a film totally encompassing the late 60's and early 70's around the vietnam era and the pressures of the strained relationships of three friends. A film worth seeing for anyone who grew up during that time.

Yes
If you're interested in surfing at all, you need this one.

Surfing Movie
This one is not just a documentary about surfing. It is actually a good life/friendship movie... And let's not forget about the waves! I enjoy watching this movie.

Cover misleading - needs better cover
BIG WEDNESDAY is, as many have stated, so much more than just a surfie movie. It explores the friendship of three friends over a 10 year period who just happen to all have a surfing passion. A film overlooked by many, yet has a great story to tell with excellent performances by Katt, Busey and Vicent. The surfing aspect is a small part of the overall storyline.

I think the marketing people should have released this DVD title with a different cover as it is misleading and cheapens the movie to a great degree. It is so much more deserving than that. ... Read more

Description

London 1893 is home to a killer with a macabre nickname... and also to a visionary genius who would write "The Time Machine." But what if H.G. Wells' invention wasn't fiction? And what if Jack the Ripper escaped capture fleeing his own time to take refuge in ours - with Wells himself in pursuit? ... Read more

Reviews (49)

When Times Collide
Noted visionary author H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) plays host to a group of friend's at his home in London 1893. The reason for the get together is for Wells to show off the time machine that he built. One of his guests is a "wolf in sheep's clothing". Dr. John Stephenson (David Warner), is really none other than Jack The Ripper, one of the world's most notorious serial killers. When the London constables begin to close in on the elusive murderer, Stephenson uses the time machine to escape to the 20th century, to continue his crimes. Wells takes action and decides to follow him and bring him back to face justice. Once Wells arrives in "our time" he meets Amy (Mary Steenburgen), the two fall in love (on screen and off), while they close in on the Ripper.

This adventure from writer/director Nicholas Meyer (best known for Star Trek II) mixes these 2 men of history with a tale whimsy that works better than you might imagine. Meyer fills the movie wth plenty of fun, romance, excitement, and social commentary about our cuture. Meyer keeps things moving along in his freshmam effort as director,. All three of the main actors give good performance and really sell the idea of the film. Watching the film again, after about a decade since my last viewing, it didn't seem as "dated" as I recall. TIME AFTER TIME is a good little film that deserves a look.

The DVD boasts an all new digital transfer that looks great. The commentary track from Meyer and McDowell, seems as though each of them were recorded separately, then edited together later, to make it sound like they were in the same room. I can't be sure though. The disc also has an iteractive essay called "It's About Time" Finally, there are 3 theatrical trailers: One for this film, one for the film version of THE TIME MACHINE from 1960, and the remake from 2002.

The DVD is recommended and worth your time (pun intended)

"We Haven't Gone Forward, Herbert. We've Gone BACK."
For some reason, when I mention this 1979 film to friends, they inevitably confuse it with 1980's Somewhere in Time. Despite the similarity in titles, and the time travel concept, these two movies couldn't be more different.

Writer/Director Nicholas Meyer's inspiration for Time After Time boils down to a simple "what if?". Namely, what if Time Machine author H. G. Wells had really built a time machine and traveled to the future? Meyer, a die-hard Anglophile, also had the inspiration to include Jack the Ripper in the story. Those who've seen Meyer's other films (Star Trek II and VI, and TV's The Day After) know he has a keen sense of directorial balance. The result is a bracing blend of action, romance, humor, and sly social commentary, alongside the usual time travel paradoxes.

There is wonderful chemistry between Malcolm McDowell's Wells and romantic interest Mary Steenburgen as 20th Century bank-teller Amy Robbins. (It was apparently based on genuine attraction, as they married shortly after this film was made.) David Warner's performance as the villain avoids the usual bad-guy cliches and is entirely believable. One could easily imagine Warner's "Jack" slipping undetected into any American city, much as Hannibal Lecter does in later film ventures. The performances are enhanced by Miklos Rosza's superb score.

This film does not aspire to the high-minded social ideals of H. G. Wells' novel. The deepest message is the fictional Wells' contention that "every age is the same, it's only love that makes any of them bearable," which is pretty hard to refute. However, in many ways this movie is more successful and compelling as purely cinematic entertainment than either of the "straight" movie adaptations. Disbelief is suspended, and the audience is swept along for the ride.

On the movie itself.
Forgive me. I've not yet gotten this DVD, but the movie is a long, long time favorite of mine. Consider my two cents limited to the movie itself.

Something I hear very little of in the other reviews is the introspection, the emotional turmoil of the Wells character himself. The character Wells' point of view on the world and of human nature, circa 1893, does seem to be a artistic snapshot of the real wells. His views of Socialism and government and human nature, while presenting rather unheadily, were transported out of the 19th century past into the 20th century present (circa 1979). The love story with the modern Amy Robbins and the science fiction of the time machine, are for me secondary to the real point of the movie.

Obviously there are lots of cute, artistic ties between what Wells sees during his visit future and what he later is known to have gone on to write about. There are plays on the "War of the Worlds" title versus "world war II". But that's the cutesie fluff. More importantly, this Socialist is compelled to fix his unwitting mistake (the Ripper using his machine) and protect Utopia, but finds that not only is there no Social Utopia, but rather that the world seems to have degenerated into a cold, inhuman Anarchy where even religion fails. Note that the entire experience arose from the discovery that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, his best friend of many years was, in fact, one of the most evil people in the world. The time machine was meant as a tool in Wells' personal study of humanity. In stead its first use was at the hands of evil, as is unfortunately so often the case.

Wells love interest Robbins, is another good plot device in making the business of fighting even even more personal for Wells. Ultimately JOhn (Jack The...) threatens Robbins, absolutely forcing Wells to give in and take up arms - Wells' ultimate anathema.

People have mentioned technical flaws like solar power at night and the time machine changing its location. OK, clearly there was room in the production for someone of Trekkie ilk who could toss in suggestions along the lines of "how about Heisenberg Compensators for the transporter??" With a really vivid imagination and an obsession with sci-fi time travel it's not terribly difficult to fill in some gaps. However, if you watch closely, nowhere ever is there either the suggestion of silly things like a paradox, neither in the dialog nor in the story flow. Indeed, the time travel as a story tool works very nicely. At one point Well and Robbins find something out about the future and try to catch the Ripper in the act. Try as they might, however, they are unable to change the future. Later, another aspect of the future they believed would happen, did happen accurately, but not they way they expected. One could actually take this as a very deep philosophical point. Perhaps paradoxes can't exist; Perhaps there's something more to this one single universe keeping everything running smoothly, including time travellers. Personally, I find the infinite parallel universes idea interesting philosophically, but a total and embarassing cop-out in science fiction. This movie was not attempting to be a Star Trek style sci-fi flick by any means. For this I'm thankful, since it doesn't bog down tis other messages with technical hooey.

To this day, with the obvious likely exception of A Clockwork Orange, I've never seen a Performance by McDowell come anywhere close to this one. For absolute historical accuracy I couldn't speak, but the character he ends up portraying, with the body langauge, facial expressions, and tone of voice, is exceptionally well done.

Let me acho a similar sentiment for Steenbergen and Warner. For her role in this movie, I've had a crush on Mary Steenbergen for all too many years now. (is 25 years too long to hold a crush on someone?) I saw another review here that said there wasn't enough character development on Jack the Ripper. I agree somewhat. I think this was one of Warner's best performances, too. I do wish he'd had even more chance to bring us the pathology of the killer. I know it would have been great. However, in real life Jack the Ripper remains a mysterious figure to this day, not to mention that it wasn't really all that applicable to the rest of the story. Were it a more recent production, I'd expect to see multiple scenes with Warner either put back into the DVD release or at least included elsewhere on the DVD. Fans would like to see it, but it wasn't really necessary to have it in there (think the cut ending scene in The Terminator).

No, it's not a technical masterpiece. It's no The Shining or The Joy Luck Club or Aliens. Hardcore 21st century movie fanatics will likely go "Huh? Why are we watching this?? Where are the CGI transdimentional space aliens and all the Matrix-like gunplay??" To be fair to them I witthold one star.

Personally, I LOVE this movie!

Incredible movie
I won't go on about this great movie's virtues, as that has been done very well by other reviewers. The one point I want to make is to give credit to the most compelling single line I have ever heard in a movie. Herbert speaking:

"The first person to resort to violence is the first person who has run out of ideas".

Think about that........

Time After Time is a Gripping Story.
That H.G. Wells (played by Malcolm McDowell) actually invents the time machine in this story offers nice possibilities to begin with (he more or less has invented the thing before the film begins). And when none else but Jack the Ripper (formidably played by David Warner) uses this piece of machinery to flee Victorian London to surface in 'contemporary' San Francisco (from London to San Francisco?), well, have we then an interesting, if somewhat 'cheesy' (by lack of a better word) premise?

I thought it all amusing. Now you might think that Time after Time is a chase-and-run film, but this isn't quite all what it's about. McDowell hits the nail as the innocent gentleman from another era, and his staring non-comprehensive or naive at the 'wonders of the modern world' is funny. His meeting Steenburgen may seem a sub-plot at first (romantic), but gradually develops into something that stands on its own (and without this TAT would be hollow).

So we have formidable acting, likable characters, suspense, and humor. It has to be said, people who have no trouble with sf elements will the more enjoy TAT (my opinion). Really, it's just a story that could not do with the sf parts. Surprise, surprise, even the ending I did not foresee, even though I should have anticipated it.

One note: as with some other reviewers, I also thought the special effects a bit dated (but I don't care about such things). However some were well-done, but the fairy glitter was too cute.

Also, the DVD has some nice additions. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Very Likeable 70's Movie
Two of the most likeable and enduring actors of the 1970's, Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston, teamed up for this 1975 gem. They play a pair of modern day, small-time cattle rustlers. The film is mostly a comedy and mostly a character study, although the plot is quite funny also. The rancher from whom they rustle cattle is quite befuddled and hires Slim Pickens to solve the case. This is the kind of overlooked 1970's movie that has become a bit of a cult classic but deserves greater recognition.

Bridges and Waterston also had roles in the disaster "Heaven's Gate," but fans of the actors would be much better off checking out "Rancho Deluxe." Fans of Jimmy Buffet should appreciate his music in the film; he also appears as a singer in a bar scene. This film is also the last good one from director Frank Perry. Before this movie, he directed "David and Lisa," "The Swimmer," and "Last Summer." He later bombed with duds such as "Hello Again" and "Mommie Dearest." A very good, enjoyable movie that 70's film buffs should check out.

Amazing, but you need a very dry sense of humor.
How can I describe this movie in a nut shell? Odd and dated but with a very good heart- and dry dry dry!

It is a pseudo-western, featuring actors who would now be too "good" for a small cultish movie like this one. Can you picture a Law & Order T.V. star in this?? This could be viewed as a great piece of 70's era B movie making with slumming A list actors. Or how about one of Jimmy Buffet's first appearances in popular culture- a must see for parrot heads!

Listen for the one liners from Cecil (Sam Waterson), they could definately enter into your movie quote lexicon. Also, if you know any cowboys, watch it with them and check out their reaction to Cecil's Father's monolouge about the disease of "pickup truck debt" for which there is still "no cure in sight".

Not likley to please everyone, this movie is for people with a twisted sense of humor but if you like stuff like Space Ghost you will love.

Ramblin' Around Big Sky
A quirky look at stereotypical (although not too far fetched) characters around Livingston, Bozeman and Paradise Valley before the onset of present day contemporary "Californication". Looking for a way to "keep awake", Jeff McKee (Jeff Bridges), a bored rich kid from the east who has run away from a looney girlfriend, and Cecil Colson (Sam Waterston), a local Indian drifter, take up together as chainsaw rustlers looking to make a few bucks to put down on their own spread, Rancho Deluxe. In the process, they prey upon a local cattle baron (Clifton James) and his flurtatious wife (Elizabeth Ashley), recent transplants with lots of loose cash and plans to be the next cattle king of Montana. After some steer tossing and bull-napping for beef and front money, the rustlers plan the big one with some inside help only to get knabbed in the end by the hired regulator (Slim Pickens) and his mischevious niece (Charlene Dallas).
Jimmy Buffett's lively score and the scenery (natural and man made) contributes to the mistique and rough edge of the wild good old times.
Rancho Deluxe struck a nerve of interest when it was initially released and the film reached cult status in Montana. The phenomena might be partially attributed to the perception many young Montanans had at the time of being rather disconnected from the rest of the country (not that that was necessarily a bad thing). The film helped open up Montana to Hollywood movie makers who soon followed to make Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (1974) and The Missouri Breaks (1977). Big Sky Country would never be the same, what a shame.

A Bad 70's "Western"
Encouraged by many positive reviews, I purchased this DVD for viewing at a "movie nite" with a group of friends. Unfortunately, the film was a great disappointment - one of the least entertaining films I have seen, and often painful to watch. Even Slim Pickins couldnt save this artifact of the 70's. None of us found this film funny, and it is perhaps the only film in recent memory that was so awful and dated that I found myself hoping it would just hurry up and end starting painfully early-on in the film. Viewed on a 10' home theater screen, the video quality was only fair at best. Audio quality is similary only fair, and despite my like of Jimmy Buffet, his music did not make this film more tolerable.

RENT IT
It is interesting for the first 45 minutes but after that the plot dies. I did enjoy watching it so I gave it a honest 3 stars but I don't want to watch it again. The ending ruined the movie for me. People totally overrated this movie so I bought it. I waisted my money but it was not a total loss. I made note of their names and I will never trust their judgement again because I know they are insipid. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lurid thrillers don't get much more shameless than this movie, in which Robert De Niro plays a pathological baseball fan whose obsession is focused on a San Francisco Giants all-star outfielder (Wesley Snipes). While the newly signed baseball star is having trouble getting his favorite uniform number from a competitive teammate (Benicio Del Toro), De Niro is having career troubles at the knife company his father founded, and you can bet that his proximity to high-quality stainless-steel blades will be a factor in the suspenseful plot. Recycling parts of his maniacal roles in Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy, and Cape Fear, De Niro takes his idolatry to violent extremes, eliminating any obstacle to Snipes's stardom until the baseball hero is forced to confront his most terrifying devotee. Directed with brutal excess and souped-up style by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Crimson Tide), this manipulative nail-biter pulls all the right strings in predictable fashion, but it does have moments that are effectively intense. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (39)

the best of 96 :)
This is the movie that made me start to love DeNiro movies. This movie is so realistic because of it's first-rate script, explosive acting talents, and the atmosphere of the movie is just so common. The film is about an avid baseball fan named Gil Renard who is also a knife-salesman for a local firm. He lives in San Francisco so his favorite team is obviously the Giants. When baseball superstar Bobby Rayburn (played by the very talented Wesley Snipes) is traded to the Giants, Gil gets a little excited. Soon, his loyalty to his favorite player becomes a dangerous obsession, and soon Gil just becomes a total psychopath. The direction is stylish, the camera angles are so cool, the script is so real and provocative, and the score is one of the best ever. And the following I can promise you: you will NEVER forget the disturbing ending which ironically takes place in Candlestick Park (home of the San Francisco Giants).

A baseball thriller than does not go the whole nine innings
Robert De Niro playing a character out of his mind is still something to see, as this 1996 film amply proves. This time around he plays Gil Renard, who sells just about every type of knife under the sun in the San Francisco Bay area, but not as well as he did in former days. Divorced, his wife is giving him one last chance with his son, Richie (Andrew J. Ferchland). Gil wants to take the boy to opening day at Candlestick Park, but he has also been given an ultimatum by his boss and he has a key appointment that same afternoon. Of course, Gil blows both opportunities and all he has left in the world is his love of baseball in general and the Giants new $40 million centerfielder, Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes). Gil even calls up the radio sports talk show of the emasculating Jewel Stern (Ellen Barkin) to talk to Bobby and praise him to high heavens.

However, Bobby gets off to a very bad start with the Giants. As the new big gun in town he has displaced the teams centerfielder Juan Primo (Benicio Del Toro). In the first game neither backs off on a fly ball and they collide. Bobby is hurt, but refuses to leave the game. To add insult to injury, Juan wears number 11, which has always been Bobby's number, and Primo refuses to give it up. Freaked by a visit to a young boy in a hospital who is not only dying but has the same name as his son, Bobby had promised to hit a home run and is feeling the pressure of that obligation. The result is that while Primo plays like an All-Star, Bobby's average dips below the Mendoza line and becomes the constant target of the local media. The only friend he has town might just be Gil.

Without a job and under a restraining order to stay away from his son, Gil has nothing else to do but go to the ballpark and follow Bobby around town. When he learns that Bobby wants to wear number 11, Gil decides that maybe there is something he can do about that. Actually, nobody wears 11 for the Giants because the number was retired for the Hall of Fame screwball pitcher Carl Hubbell, but this movie has less to do with the real world as it goes merrily along. What matters is that Gil feels that he has helped Bobby, who is back to his All-Star form, and is rather upset that his efforts have gone without notice. As he says, "A simple thank you would have been nice." At that point we know that something very, very bad is going to happen to Bobby.

The film's climax, of course, takes place at a baseball game with Bobby having to hit a home run in an at bat under more pressure than anybody else in the history of the game. Casey at the bat? Meaningless. Bobby Thompson in the 1951 National League Playoffs? Nothing. Roy Hobbs trying to hit one out for his son in "The Natural" is close to the mark, but Roy did not have to do it in the pouring rain and if he struck out his son was only going to be disappointed and not killed. Besides the complete downpour he also has to hit off the pitcher while the jumbo-tron shows the pitcher pitching. Now, major league baseball stadiums do not show live pictures while there is any action on the field, but that is why the end of "The Fan" is where the story is abandoned in favor of a big cinematic finish.

The early part of the film, as Gil descends into madness and Bobby's batting average takes a nosedive, is the most interesting part of "The Fan," because at that point it is primarily a case of parallel character studies. There is a sense in which the character played by Snipes is actually more interesting than De Niro's because we get some insights into the peculiar psychoses of a major league baseball player. At the end of the film we are surprised to learn that what distinguishes the two men most of all is their very different explanations for why Bobby has started hitting.

However, in the end the psychology gives way to the action in a scene that scene that uncomfortably reminds us of the climax of "The Naked Gun." It is impossible to accuse either star of going over the top in this film because "The Fan" does that all by itself at the end. Given the character foundations that were established in the first parts of the film, this is one instance where less at the end would have been more.

Where to begin
I truthfully for some reason liked this movie when it came out years ago. I recently rented it again and thought, what was I thinking? The story is incredibly unbelievable (no way the murder of Primo would have gone without being solved for more than a few hours) and the script is just poorly written. I found myself getting confused with what was going on do to random jumps from one thing to another. There were many things that could have been left out or shown more of to make the story flow better. The acting was pretty good (though not the best work from anyone) for what was written. Now, when I first saw this movie I liked the soundtrack to it. Watching it again, I realize that the Nine Inch Nails song Closer, which I am a fan of all versions, was used so often it was ridiculous. It seemed like they were trying to go for Darth Vader like theme from Star Wars but failed miserably.

All around, it wasn't horrible but its not in my top hundred. DeNiro has played this character way too many times and because of that it was slightly boring. Give it a try if you've seen everything else more than once. I wouldn't pay for it though if I were you.

The Fan ...Fans Out!
Robert DiNiro completes a quintent of bad guy/psycho roles for the 1990's (AWAKENINGS, THIS BOY'S LIFE, CAPE FEAR,JACKIE BROWN) with THE FAN. With a resurgence of Baseball movies beginning in the late 1980's, this has got to be one of the worst of the bunch and the worst of the five DiNiro pictures. The pairing of DiNiro (who literally phones in his performance here)and Wesley Snipes (Is actually convincing as a baseball player. Remmeber his Willie Mays Hays in MAJOR LEAGUE?)in what could have been an interesting thriller turns into another predictable slasher-type film. DiNiro (Gil Renard) becomes an obsessed fan to Wesley Snipes superstar Baseball Player(Bobby Rayburn). There is some social commentary about modern sports and the responsibility of overpaid athletes but all commentary is drowned out by a weak script and weak direction. Also, there is a scene that most baseball purists have been complaining about in this film. This is the sequence where the umpires let a baseball game keep going and it is pouring rain. Director Tony Scott in his own directorial style shows the sequence in slow-motion with players slipping and sliding, with water and mud flying all over the place, all for dramatic purposes and creative license. Overall, a weak sports film, a weak thriller, and wasted talent makes THE FAN a very forgettable film.

Promising, But Ultimately Disappointing
Despite some style, rythm and a couple of intriguing ideas, this Tony Scott`s movie soon falls into most of the cliches that trap a typical Hollywood blockbuster.
Wesley Snipes plays a baseball star that ends up being the object of devotion and obsession of a lonely, convulted man (Robert DeNiro). The picture builds a growing tension, yet the second part lives on the strenght of chases, kidnappings and tiresome predictability. Nine Inch Nails are a fine addition to the soundtrack, helping the development of the paranoid plot, but the movie is still too flawed and unsurprising to truly engage.
Not too good not too bad. Watchable. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Five star acting in 2 1/2 star movie
Parker Posey, Kyra Sedwick, and Fairuza Balk all get umpteen stars from me for their great portrayals of women who have reached a point in life where they know something has got to change.
There are three women: Delia, Greta, and Paula. Their lives are unraveling, and only they can make the choice as to what to do next and if it is the best thing to do.
I thought the first two stories were extremely depressing. I honestly didn't know the tone to the entire movie. I tend to not want to know a lot about a movie I am going to watch because what would be the point to watching them? It's like looking into someone else's life watching these stories.
My thoughts are this -- Kyra Sedwick's "Delia" is a blue jean wearing chick who has a past of being promiscuous and a present she wants to escape.
Parker Posey is "Greta", the woman bent on success and high on infidelity. Some of her thoughts were laugh out loud funny.
Fairuza Balk is "Paula", young, pregnant, and freaked out by an accident that she sees happen to a man she has just met. She runs away and picks up a young mysterious hitchhiker This is the best story because it ends on an unbeat note.
The writing was good, and I liked the style of filmmaking Rebecca Miller has incorporated with her stories.
It still left me with a bitter taste. It is certainly not a feel good movie, but it is at times compelling.
It's intriguing enough that I did like it despite it's frankness.

Three solid tales of women in transit
Personal Velocity, written and directed by Rebecca Miller (and based on her book) tells three stories of women at crossroads in their lives. A film that is divided into separate stories must overcome certain challenges. Short stories, if they are good, can still leave the reader a little unsatisfied. This may be even more true of short films, as even a two hour movie tends to have less depth than a book. It is also common for stories to be of unequal quality. Personal Velocity, however, succeeds in creating three engaging half hours with some powerful performances. I found all three equally entertaining. The first character we meet is Delia (Kyra Sedgwick), a woman fleeing from an abusive husband with her three young children. While this is a familiar, movie-of-the-week situation, Sedgwick is completely believable as the hurt, angry and uncertain Delia as she attempts to make a new start. Parker Posey, a distinguished veteran of many independent films is the star of the second tale. She is Greta, an editor who unexpectedly finds success working with a famous novelist (who makes a pass at her). Greta is married to a man who is nice, intelligent but lacking in ambition and she finds herself wondering if he will fit in with her new future. There is a great contrast between the first two episodes. The first is set in the rural working class of upstate New York, the second among Manhattan's literary chic. The third tale changes pace once again. Paula (Fairuza Balk) is a woman who has just been traumatized by a tragic accident. Driving aimlessly, she picks up a young hitchhiker who turns out to be another victim of a violent event. Paula drives with the boy to her mother's house, which does not turn out to be much of a refuge. Both the first and last segment deal with rather depressing circumstances, but both leave us with the sense that the women have left the worst behind them and are ready to begin a new and better life; the same is true of the second story, though its overall tone is more upbeat. Personal Velocity is about just that; characters who overcome the unpredictable challenges of their surroundings by the force of their own wills. The film was shot digitally, which works well with its focused, microcosmic perspective.

...intelligent and excellent cinematic experience.
Personal Velocity is the story of three different women who collide with a life crisis at different times in their lives. Delia (Kyra Sedgwick) has frequently been abused by the man she loves, a love that has tied her down and made her incapable of escaping, but now she realizes that it is time for a change. Greta (Parker Posey) is mourning the death of her mother as she has settled down due to her parents divorce that is the origin for her hate for infidelity. On the exterior she displays a person who is content with what life has to offer her; however, when a big time author asks her to be his editor, she has a chance to get back to where she once was, on the top of the world. The question is whether she can take steps to remove the ties that hold her down. Paula (Fairuza Balk) has recently witnessed a traumatic death and found out that she is pregnant with a child. Confused, she begins to drive home to see her mother as she is desperate for some guidance or a sign. On the way she sees a hitch hiker, a teenager, that she interprets as a sign so she picks him up. The three women are reaching their life decisions at different velocities in their lives. Their personal velocities are clearly represented as one has children, one does not even think of having any, and the third has one on the way. This makes the story unique in regards to women and their choices, which often are influenced by external factors. In the end, Miller provides an intelligent and excellent cinematic experience.

Perceptive and ripe with ideas
Rebecca Miller's Personal Velocity is comprised of three short films: Delia, Greta, and Paula. The characters span location, socio-economic background, and age but are psychologically threaded by the common experience of a crisis pertinent to each's feminine identity. The movie's interest in women may garner the misperception of it as a feminist polemic, but Miller's vision is more humanitarian than political. It's one of those movies that, even when unsuccessful, seems genuinely curious about human beings.

In exploring battered wife, Delia (Kyra Sedgewick) Miller uses flashbacks to show her deep-seated confusion with sex and power as a promiscuous teenager. Greta reiterrates such themes, but as opposed to Delia's battered wife syndrome, these now impenetrable psychological depths actually produce societally acceptable behavior. The more Greta (the deft Parker Posey) succumbs to her innate moral inscrutability, the greater success she earns in her profession as a book editor. The final short, Paula is much less clear in its themes, and you can see Miller exploring truly dangerous territory, feeling around for a lightswitch in the dark. It follows a young quasi-homeless goth woman (Fairuza Balk) whose quest for love and motherhood become manifested in unconditional love and care for a terribly abused hitchhiking boy. Though this short seems spiritually disconnected from the first two, I like its dark, emblematic emotions (ripe with abortion metaphors and images of child torture) and Balk's performance is appropriately painful.

Miller's larger point, I think, is to show a battle between these women's present goals and their histories which, whether or not they like it, dictate their decisions. I applaud Miller for exploring such quandaries and being able to convey them in artful, engrossing entertainment.

Out,Out Damned Spot!
Rebecca Miller's "Personal Velocity" is dull, drab and pretty much lifeless. It tells the story of three women who have little velocity, personal or otherwise. All three (Parker Posey, Kyra Sedgwick and Fairuzza Balk) are all without recourse, stuck in situations mostly of their own making and unwilling or unable to snap out of it and improve their lot.
Parker Posey as Greta a Cook Book editor, falls into a primo gig editing an up-an-coming fiction author and proceeds to mess it up making silly, unethical and un-professional choices. And Sedgwick as Delia, usually one to elicit sympathy, comes off as a pathetic slattern, undeserving of anything much more than pity. Balk as Paula rounds out this ungodly trio as a young woman bent on destruction who mostly succeeds.
I know that all of this is meant to be "real" and serve as a comment on Contemporary Woman but give me a break. We've all got it bad at some point in our lives but we also have it good a lot of the times. "Personal Velocity" ejects women back to the 1950's and beyond; a world in which women indeed had few choices but marriage and children and as such it not only demonizes Men, it degrades Women: those it is trying to glorify. ... Read more

Description

An executive awakens one morning to find that her accountant has stolen all her money and fled the country. The only asset she has left is a boxer she purchased as a tax write-off. The executive then goads the boxer into re-starting his career. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"I've got the same two words for you!"
I would actually give this film three-and-a-half stars. This film was a major hit upon release in the summer of '79, but it has since been written off by many as one of Streisand's weakest film efforts. As for myself, I could go about reviewing the film in two ways. I could say that the THE MAIN EVENT is a perfect example of a worn out premise given the by-the-book treatment, with no attempt to disguise how derivative and predictable the whole thing is. However, I could also say that THE MAIN EVENT manages to be likable, funny, and entertaining.

Both of these statements have a lot of merit, but I think I'm going to go with my second opinion. Even though we've seen the same story a thousand times before, THE MAIN EVENT is quite enjoyable while it's playing. The scenes are set up well, the one-liners are mostly funny ("I said celebrate, not fornicate!"), and Streisand and O'Neal give off a strong sexual charge between them onscreen. It may not be meaningful, or even original, but THE MAIN EVENT is a pretty good timewaster.

About the DVD: The picture quality is great, and the mono sound is fine as well. It's great to have the original trailer and the 19-minute television special, titled GETTING IN SHAPE FOR THE MAIN EVENT, preserved on disc, although Streisand's brief audio commentary is slightly disappointing.

"I've got the same two words for you!"
I would give this film three-and-a-half stars. This film was a major hit upon release in the summer of '79, but it has since been written off by many as one of Streisand's weakest film efforts. As for myself, I could go about reviewing the film in two ways. I could say that the THE MAIN EVENT is a perfect example of a worn out premise given the by-the-book treatment, with no attempt to disguise how derivative and predictable the whole thing is. However, I could also say that THE MAIN EVENT manages to be likable, funny, and entertaining.

Both of these statements have a lot of merit, but I think I'm going to go with my second opinion. Even though we've seen the same story a thousand times before, THE MAIN EVENT is quite enjoyable while it's playing. The scenes are set up well, the one-liners are mostly funny ("I said celebrate, not fornicate!"), and Streisand and O'Neal give off a strong sexual charge between them onscreen. It may not be meaningful, or even original, but THE MAIN EVENT is a pretty good timewaster.

About the DVD: The picture quality is great, and the mono sound is fine as well. It's great to have the original trailer and the 19-minute television special, titled GETTING IN SHAPE FOR THE MAIN EVENT, preserved on disc, although Streisand's brief audio commentary is slightly disappointing.

She cant make a bad movie.
It has been quite a while since i have actually seen The Main Event but i have been trying to find it in the stores on video for quite a long time. I can remember loving the movie. There was a lot of screeming and yelling...but isnt that what boxers do. I thought the way they pick on each other is cute. I thought Barbra was precious. It is one of those movies that you come out feeling good which is hard to find these days.

Good movie, but a PG rating?????
I liked the movie, it's fun and funny but what really surprised and shocked me was: PG RATING? Come on! 1. They show two butts in the movie, there is a lot of adult talk, and a lot of hintings to sexuality? It is a good movie, but I mean one would think more about the point of view of watching it depending on the rating of the movie.
All in all, this is a quite good movie which I like
Recommended, it's a lot of fun

Funny, Entertaining but I've seen better
The Main Event was the first Streisand picture I ever saw. I loved it at the theaters. But since then I've seen many more of her movies on VHS. I have to say it's a good film but not her best. I liked "Yentl" or "Owl & Pussycat" or "A Star Is Born" much better. Her acting is superb, so is Ryan's. But the storyline is a little weak compared to other movies she is in. I reccommend it its just not her very best movie. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Bonafide Chevy Chase Classic
This is one of those forgotten classics that you'll either love, like or hate alot.The concept is one that has been done several different ways in other movies...but seldom lives up to the results in this movie.Imagine if you were suddenly given the power of telekinesis, to move things and manipulate things at will.What would you do if you had that power?Well...in Chevy Chase's character's case, being as his life is running downhill, you try to win your girlfriend back and wreck havoc in the process.Again, other movies have tried this concept out...some being the average joe who gets to be a superhero with funny results.But the ideas in this film are genuinely original...which is probably why I consider it a classic.It would be interesting to see someone come along and attempt a remake of this one...though I doubt it would have the same impact as this one.I give it four stars only since the movie is a bit dated and some viewers may not like it as much as I do.:)

The Long-forgottenMisunderstood Chevy Chase Movie
When I was 12 this movie was a staple on the then still-blossoming HBO.I think I've watched it or seen bits and pieces of it like more than thirty times. As a kid there were a lot of things I didn't get, of course, but it was funny to me. Now, that was 1982.Twenty-three years later I saw it on Amazon and nostalgia just washed over me.I had to have it.Finally, I thought, Modern Problems and Foul Play have been released to DVD, two childhood staples...I watched both movies.Modern Problems was as I remembered it, mostly.I get all the jokes and situations now that I'm an adult, of course, but there were some other things I got as well.This isn't the happy-go-lucky Chevy Chase that we all remember from Cassyshack and Seems Like Old Times, this is the darker side.Modern Porblems has its share of ridiculousness, but beneath the surface, this is a pretty dark comedy.When Chevy uses his telekinetic powers to make his ex-girlfriend's date's nose start bleeding, Jesus it is hysterical, but at the same time...when you have a chance to think about it...quite grim.There is an underlying 'life sucks' theme going on here which was where the world was in 1981 and I think this movie captures that pretty well.Is this my favorite Chevy Chase movie? No. Fletch and Vacation and Christmas Vacation and Caddyshack are.There's been a lot of others, too.Is this a classic?I'd say, yes.Here is 1981 all rolled up and categorized in a comedy by the reigning star of the time.A little slice of Regan-era fatalism.Enjoy.

Just...weird
I never really got into this movie, it's more strange than it is funny. And Chevy wasn't his usual self either, he was way to morose and distant to really side with his character or empathise with him in any way.

Chevy plays Max Fielder, an air-traffic controller who's life is constantly in the toilet and bad luck follows him everywhere. He's very paranoid and possessive over his girlfriend, so much so that she dumps him for some total dork.

On his way home from a disastrous night out his car is sprayed with radioactive gunk from a leaky government truck. He is soon blessed/cursed with telekinetic abilities, which he uses to get revenge on those who make his life miserable.

It could have been really fun but it's just...weird. Ken Shapiro (who?) does not have the same edge in his direction as Harold Ramis, Michael Ritchie or John Landis and he doesn't know how to fully use Chevy's brand of humor. There are some laughs to be had though, but their not so memorable.

The DVD is in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen but it's mostly all shot in soft focus so there's nothing outstanding here. The sound is plain old Mono and it's alright if nothing else, though the dialogue has very heavy use of ADR. A trailer and TV spot are included. Oh...and that theme song playing over the menu, opening and closing credits? Yuck!

Patti D'Arbanville was my first love!!!!!!!!
What can I say.This movie is pretty funny and actually one of Chevy's funnier movies.The part that stood out the most, however was the Chevy and Patti D'Arbanville seen in the bedroom.That has to be the best fake orgasim seen EVER, no offense to When Harry met Sally.That alone makes this a must buy for any young man who was going through highschool in the late 80's.What can I say, the girl can act.

Please release on DVD -hoping20th Cen. Fox is reading this
I remember this movie as a youngin'and I must have seen it over and over and over especially The Tubes' title song at the end credits.I remember recording it onto a portable cassette player to listen to in my room.Ok, it was corny by today's standards, but definately some of Chevy Chase's funniest moments and it was alot of fun.C'Mon .....20st Century Fox ..lets release on DVD.I'v been telling my wife about Super Fuzz and Modern Problems both for years of which SF is coming out on DVD 12/7/04....finally. ... Read more

Description

Get ready for "the mother of all comedy events" (Pat Collins, WWOR-TV/New York) as Robin Williams and Billy Crystal play a flaky writer and an uptight lawer teaming up to track down a runaway teen each thinks might be his son. Year: 1997 Director: Ivan Reitman Starring: Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Julia Louis-Dreyfus ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Quite Funny
This movie really is pretty funny. Crystal is always funny and Williams, well, what can I say... the guy is funny even if he's not trying to be! Crystal plays a straight-laced lawyer while Williams plays a total psychotic, who really wants to believe he has a son so he'll have a reason to stay partially sane.

This movie's plot may be a bit thin, but who cares because the cast is great. The short version of the plot is that a worried mother recruits two men to find her runaway teenage son. How does she get them to agree to find him? She tells each of the men(obviously not thinking that they may run into each other while searching for the boy) that he is the father. This leads to a silly comic pairing.

There are all kinds of great things in this movie. Crystal and Williams are great together. Mel Gibson makes a cameo-- watch closely because you might not recognize him!! The band Sugar Ray is also in the movie. Cool things like that!

This may not satisfy a hunger for laugh out loud, slap on the knee kind of funny, but it's still funny, with a charming ending.

MUCH funnier than I expected
After looking at the rather....well, dumb cover, and reading the synopsis, I expected it to be a rather medicore movie. Boy was I wrong. I'll tell ya, the script ain't gold, but Billy Crystal and (especially) Robin Williams make this movie quite funny as heck. Everything from Williams' opening lines/scene about how depressing his life is, to his amusing vulnerability, to the way Billy Crystal wittily mocks everybody, makes this movie quite a delight. And notice how I used the actors' names instead of the characters' names. That is because, like I said, it is the talented and hilarious acting that saved this movie from potential mediocracy.

The script isn't anything particularly special, and there is only one somewhat major flaw with it: Williams and Crystal are deceptively sent by a former girlfriend of both of theirs on a search for a boy who she claims to be the son of both of them. But near the end, it is never explained why she does that, instead of....oh I dunno, hiring a detective, or looking for him herself? While this kind of takes away from the believability of the story, the story isn't where the movie is meant to shine so it doesn't end up meaning much.

Williams plays the perfect total loser, and Crystal the witty, successful lawyer, in this movie sprinkled with more than enough hilarious and memorable scenes. If it weren't for a tighter script, it would've gotten five stars. Definatley worth a rental, and most likely a purchase if you're either a Billy Crystal or especially (since he was the focus of the majority of the better jokes) Robin Williams fan.

Best actors but script doesn't do justice.
Overall, I have always enjoyed Robin William and Billy Crystal's performance in many other movies, but I must admit to my surprise that it wasn't making me laughing on the floor as I usually do. The script was boring and the plot was downright disppointing. Didn't like the ending. It was like a stupid wild goose chase for both of them and end up accepting that the mother of the son lied to them. Which is really a bad example for younger audience to see this and thinking it's normal for mothers to lie. I hope someday to see both Robin and Billy to act together in another movie in the near future and hopefully better script than this one.

Distinctly Average In All Departments
The premise of Fathers' Day sounds like one of those ideas that was hatched in a boardroom rather than a creative mind. A woman tells two former boyfriends that they are the father of her teenaged son, who has run away. Naturally, these guys become instantly paternal, reluctantly join forces, and set out to find the kid who may or may not be theirs.

The teaming of Robin Williams and Billy Crystal provides some good moments, although at times Crystal seems to be too much of a straight man. Williams has plenty of scope to be...well, himself - which means that some sickly sentimentality is eventually allowed to creep in. In fact, the film is quite promising until the pair of wannabe dads make contact with their supposed offspring. The kid turns out to be such a snivelling loser that any sane person would disown him rather than try to save him from the conveniently cartoonish drug dealers he owes lots of money to. Junior is also infatuated with a girl who couldn't care less. When she finally tells him that he is boring, you find yourself shouting "Yes!" at the screen.

Even so, Williams and Crystal provide plenty of pleasant and undemanding entertainment along the way. But the film is so built around them that it wastes the talents of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Natassia Kinski. Having said that, there is a nice uncredited cameo by Mel Gibson.

Not a bad film if you're looking for a nicely mindless comedy. But everyone involved has done much better work elsewhere.

Williams & Crystal make the best movies!
This movie is about a runaway 16-year-old named Scott. The mother goes to two men that she knew and tells them they are the father. First she tells Jack Lawrence (Crystal), a lawyer and he doesn't want to go look for him. Then she tells Dale Putley (Williams) who is a retarded, lonner, and empty life writer who decides to look for him. So the two end up traveling together to find Scott. See what goes wrong next after Dale passing out, crying constantly, getting HOT coffee poured on his nuts, and being a idiot. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Wow ... Tough Crowd!
Thanks to the anonymity of this forum, I can freely admit that I like this movie (in fact, I have a tape of it somewhere). It's the basic story of a guy (McCarthy) who has everything going for him, but longs to take a walk on the wild side. Enter Molly Ringwald's character, a white-trash vixen that completely captivates him and turns his life upside down. Fine cinematography with an absolutely heart-wrenching ending. This flick and Less Than Zero are my two favorite Andrew McCarthy movies. Go easy on me.

a true love movie
Andrew & Molly have always been one of my fovorite teen actors
and in this movie they again make good chemistry together.This movie is a love story with a sad but good ending that makes you think about
how complicated life can be falling in love with someone special.

Can I Please Give It NO STARS?!
Yes, it's true... "Fresh Horses" is the all-time worst movie ever made. By that, I mean of all the movies that had good production values this is the worst. It obviously had some good actors (they're in there somewhere, though hard to see) and a competent crew. A big studio was behind it (but I'm sure the guy who okayed this film is now working in retail).

"Fresh Horses" is just a mess of a movie. It's been about ten years since I walked out of the theater after an hour of torture, but I vividly remember the following: There is no story, nothing visually interesting, no complete sentences uttered by any of the actors, nobody ever smiles in it, Andrew McCarthy and Molly Ringwald have absolutely no chemistry, I don't think they were speaking English, and I'm pretty sure that McCarthy was replaced halfway through the production by the caterer's assistant.

What's really sad is that you can't even watch it to make fun of it. So it's not a good bad movie. It's just plain boring. Horrifyingly boring. Murderously boring.

But you have to give the film some credit... It pretty much killed the careers of Ringwald and McCarthy. So, for that alone, the one star is deserved!

I was part of the production on this film
Filmed in Cincinnati during My senior year in High School I had acted and Modeled some. I landed a spot as a Stand-In for Doug Hutchinson and Ben Stiller. It has to be one of the Worst Films ever. Molly couldn't even keep her southern twang consistent in the shots. I must say though it was a pleasure to work with Ben Stiller and Doug Hutchinson (Percy from Green Mile) I still have a Cast and Crew Jacket that Ben signed and I was even able to have Molly sign it at the final Cast party during one of her kindler moods. Heck I even have pictures
Great scenerary if you are from the area.

On a personal note Molly has her good moments although rare.
Andrew McCarthy was just.... well a jerk.
Ben was Great to me and so was most of the crew especially the Sound Master Hank Garfield and Sue Knutsen in Casting
From this I was able to work as a stand-in on Rainman and had several screen tests for other movies and TV shows.

An unabashedly favorable review!
I have been a fan of this movie for many years since its release. When I decided to purchase, I was surprised to see such negative reviews. Granted its not necessarily Oscar quality material. But, the cinematic backdrop is interesting and goes a long way to lend great atmosphere to the story. I think McCarthy and Ringwald do a good job with the acting. It's not hard to understand why Larkin (McCarthy) falls for Jewel (Ringwald ) right off the bat, Ringwald imbues her character with a palpable steamy sensuality in their first meeting. Mortensen (Green) is convincing as the low life "husband" of Jewel. It's also interesting to see an early role for Ben Stiller, especially if you are a fan. I can't agree that ... is wasted on this movie. In fact, I wish it were available in DVD format. The story ending has a heart-rending quality that has stayed with me through the years since I first viewed this movie. ... Read more

Description

Joe [Dallesandro]--always charming, open, innocent--takes to the streets and meets an artist with elaborate and hilarious theories of body worship, a couple of transvestites, a dumb ex-girlfriend (now a topless dancer), and a friend whose armpits have been burned by a flamethrower. A gallery of city grotesques... hilarious, poignant and real.--L.A. Herald Examiner. Written & directed by Paul Morrissey, "presented" by Andy Warhol. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL
The movie as well as the hunk are beautiful! I fell in love with Joe as soon as I saw his body that no other guy can compete with.
The story is very good. Sensitive, fragile and desperate. We do not loose any minute with this film as Joe keep us under his spell all the way.

Joe Dallesandro Has A Magnificent Physique
........This is not a great film. It's interesting, however, and I'm not sorry I ordered this DVD. As a New Yorker, it is always interesting to see the Big Apple back in the '70s or '60s. Seeing Joe walk up streets that I know so well makes this picture mean more to me. I've seen the hustlers of 42nd Street and hookers jumping in and out of cars, I've seen the sleaze of the City. That life-style was never fascinating to me. The sexual part was, but the lurid, impersonal part was not. After reading John Reichy's "City of Night," I was prepared to move from the midwest to Gotham with a wealth of knowlege. Believe me, as a young, attractive novice, I encountered much of what was in that book!

Joe Dallesandro, with some acting lessons with Stella Adler or Uta Hagen might have made an exceptional actor. Many of the people who reviewed him, I think, were dazzled by his beauty and his incredible, natural body (he sports an incredible bush of pubic hair). How refreshing that is considering all the shaving of private parts these days! Any woman or man who looks at Joe cannot help but look at him without having the SAME admiration for him as they do for the au natural statue for Michelangelo's David. I remember when my body was similar to that!

I don't recommend this picture for the "art" of it, but if you want to appreciate a modern depiction of the perfection of the male human form...Dallesandro is your model.

Body Pride
We are at the end of the hippy revolution. Andy Warhol explores the body-pride of the young males. This new feeling finds its roots in the cult of the body, of physical strength and muscular building. We are before body-building but after Woodstock where the body was religiously considered as the mark of God on us. This body-pride is taken to the extreme of believing that a man has to live for his body but also by his body. His body is the only riches he naturally has and he must live from it. So he exploits his body and by doing so exploits the fantasms of other men and women, the fantasm that a beautiful body has to be worshipped and the body-pride can be without any guilt transmuted into sex. The main character exploits this vein and makes a comfortable living out of it. But Warhol goes one step further and transforms the nudity of the male body into something banal and in no way provocative. It is a beauty to be looked at and not to be ashamed of. He even gives a rare scene where the nude father plays with and feeds his little baby. That was a real revolution in those days. The father was more than a man. He was a father and as such could take care of the baby he had born to life, just as much as the mother. The film hence gives some very precious scenes on this cult of the male body as a source of beauty and pleasure. It is the total lack of shame and modesty that makes this nudity, complete or in the process of revealing itself by undressing, something normal, unshocking and revealing in us some kind of purity by the capability to look at it without being in anyway roused to some kind of carnal desire. « We are not queers » as one character says, just proud of our well trained and sculpted bodies.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

best of his one liners
this is good - the white flashes are supposed to be there (previous review), it's a powerful movie - anyway this surprised me, it's not what you might expect. you'll like it!

For Joe Dallesandro fans only
If you are looking for a good story and character development, this movie dissapoints. The story is rather thin and slow with more focus on Joe's good looks. A irritatating aspect of the DVD was white flashes occuring at innapropriate moments during the movie. ... Read more