Amazon.com

Even as it bid goodbye to one of its core characters, Cheers enjoyed a fifth season of high hilarity that still holds up decades later.The cliffhanger at the end of the fourth season began a season-long courting dance between Sam (Ted Danson) and Diane (Shelley Long) in which both want to get married--but never at the same time.They argue, they see a pre-nuptial counselor (an Emmy-winning John Cleese), and then one has to make a final decision.But Sam and Diane weren't the only ones exploring relationships.Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) once again meets Dr. Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth) and, with the help of Diane, are soon cozily coinhabiting.Woody (Woody Harrelson) gets a visit from his ex-girlfriend (Amanda Wyss), and meets Coach's niece (Cady McClain).Carla (Rhea Perlman) seems finally rid of the sleazy Nick (Dan Hedaya, who was spun off into a thankfully short-lived series called The Tortellis) only to meet a Bruins goalie named Eddie LeBec (Jay Thomas).Then again, there were some non-relationship events, such as Diane's trying out for the Boston Ballet and the gang's classic Thanksgiving dinner at Carla's house (in which we finally get to see Norm's wife, Vera, sort of).But more than anything, the fifth season belonged to Sam and Diane.Their relationship ends in touching flash-forward and a wish to "have a good life." If only the departing actor's subsequent career had been so good.Like the fourth season, the DVD set has no extras.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (7)

I have no reason to give less than 5 stars
I, for one, am in favor of these CHEERS sets being released without extras if it results in a lower price and shorter breaks in between release dates.So even though 5 stars might be too high of a rating for this set (since there are no extras), I can't give it any less because I'm getting exactly what I wanted here - all the episodes in their uncut glory!

"I Do, Adieu," the final episode in the set, includes the shortened opening credits sequence we now see in syndication, but otherwise everything looks to be intact.Some copyrighted music may have been replaced here and there in a few episodes but I can't tell for sure - if it was then it couldn't have been anything crucial to any story or joke.

The picture quality is as near perfect as I could've expected, and I like that the chapter stops are placed at the act breaks.The "play-all" option is a marathon lover's dream come true as well.

Incidentally, this season contains one of my favorite episodes of the entire series, "Simon Says."John Cleese is hysterical and gives Sam and (mostly) Diane a hard time in the most fitting manner possible.Trivia buffs may already be aware that Cleese won an Emmy for this.He is the only guest actor to do so in the history of this series.

Since releasing that first season set of this show, Paramount has really improved their overall presentation.Some might call this bare bones, and perhaps they're right.But that's okay with me since CHEERS may never look or sound this crisp in syndicated reruns.

ONE OF TV'S ALL-TIME GREATS
Cheers was one of the great all time sit-coms that unfortunately seems to have not aged very well with viewers.While other shows like Seinfeld continue to be ratings juggernauts in re-runs, Cheers has lost a bit of that lustre and I'm not really sure why.With great writing and great performances Cheers always delivered the laughs and the ratings.This show finished in the Nielsen Top 10 eight times including SEVEN top 5 finishes.That's really incredible.Season five was notable for one big event which was Shelly Long leaving the show in the last episode of the season, paving the way for Kirstie Alley in Season six.Season Five would begin with dueling wedding proposals between Sam and Diane and end with the pair finally set to marry until Diane gets a book offer.

Favorite season five episodes include:

1) The proposal - Sam finally proposes to Diane romantically aboard a boat.When Diane turns him down Sam makes her walk the plank.

2) Thanksgiving orphans - One of the all-time great Cheers episodes as the gang gathers at Carla's house for Thanksgiving Dinner that takes all night to cook and ends up in a hilarious food fight featuring the only appearance of Norm's wife Vera as she is totally covered in food.

3) Everyone Imitates art.Sam gets a poem published in a magazine that has rejected Diane's work a number of times and she is sure that he stole the poem from somewhere and is determined to find out.

4) Never Love a Goalie - Carla starts dating a Pro hockey goalie named Eddie (Jay Thomas) but as soon as they start dating, Eddie starts playing terribly.

5) Dinner at Eight-ish.Frasier and Lilith invite Sam and Diane over for dinner but things go awry when Lilith finds out that Frasierand Diane used to date.

6) Norm's First Hurrah.Norm brags about getting a great job as an accountant with a top company but when the gang surprises him at work, things are not exactly as norm described.

7) Simon Says - The Great John Cleese plays a noted marriage Counselor who says Sam and Diane are not meant for each other which so upsets Diane that she continues to pester him.Hilarious episode!

8)I do and Adieu - Diane's leaves Sam when they are finally ready to be married.

To be honest I always preferred Kirstie Alley over Shelly long so I was not all that upset to see Diane leave.But there are lots of great episodes in this season that would lead into the final six season which I truly loved.

One of the greatest sitcoms in television history...
One of the greatest television comedies in history, Cheers is an absolute "must see" for anyone who's ever had a regular hangout "where everybody knows your name". The shows centers itself around the friendly neighborhood Boston bar named Cheers. The bar is owned by former Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Sam Malone (Ted Danson). Sam has three employees - bartender Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) and waitresses Carla Tortelli (Rhea Pearlman) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). Noted psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar) and his wife Dr. Lilith Sternin Crane (Bebe Neuwirth) are regulars at the bar (with Grammar later starring in his own series spin-off, Frasier). Regular barflies Norm Peterson (George Wendt) and Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) round out a strong supporting cast.

The Cheers (Season 5) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in which the audience discovers that Sam's marriage proposal from the previous year's season finale was directed at Diane. However, Diane feels that Sam is on the rebound from Janet, so she declines - requesting a more romantic setting for their engagement. When Sam proposes on a boat, Diane turns him down again then spends several episodes attempting to get Sam to propose once again. Meanwhile, Carla falls in love with Boston Bruins goalie Eddie LeBec (Jay Thomas) and John Cleese makes a guest appearance as a famous marriage counselor and friend of Frasier Crane. The season ends with Diane leaving Sam at the altar in order to finish a novel a publishing house is interested in...

Below is a list of episodes included on the Cheers (Season 5) DVD:

Episode 96 (The Proposal)
Episode 97 (The Cape Cad)
Episode 98 (Money Dearest)
Episode 99 (Abnormal Psychology)
Episode 100 (House of Horrors With Formal Dining and Used Brick)
Episode 101 (Tan N' Wash)
Episode 102 (Young Dr. Weinstein)
Episode 103 (Knights of the Scimitar)
Episode 104 (Thanksgiving Orphans)
Episode 105 (Everyone Imitates Art)
Episode 106 (The Book of Samuel)
Episode 107 (Dance, Diane, Dance)
Episode 108 (Chambers vs. Malone)
Episode 109 (Diamond Sam)
Episode 110 (Spellbound)
Episode 111 (Never Love a Goalie: Part 1)
Episode 112 (Never Love a Goalie: Part 2)
Episode 113 (One Last Fling)
Episode 114 (Dog Bites Cliff)
Episode 115 (Dinner at Eight-ish)
Episode 116 (Simon Says)
Episode 117 (The Godfather, Part III)
Episode 118 (Norm's First Hurrah)
Episode 119 (Cheers: the Motion Picture)
Episode 120 (A House is Not a Home)
Episode 121 (I Do and Adieu)

The DVD Report

I'm Gonna Miss Diane
I love Cheers. Its my favorite show of all time! The Diane years are my favorite. But the seasons after her departure are classic too, don't get me wrong, but i think Cheers is at its best with Diane. This is her final season, and boy, did she leave it with a bang. An absolutely classic show, and yet another phenominal season of Cheers on dvd. There are too many classic episodes to name, but here's a couple, when Sam councils Dianes' reservations at that expensive restaurant, and takes his date there instead. Hilarious! And when the dog bites Cliff, and he thinks she really likes him, but of course she is just trying to get out of being sued by Cliffie. A laugh riot! There are atleast like 15 more I can think of, but I can't list them all here. I got the first 4 seasons the day they came out, and I'm gonna get the 5th season the day it comes out as well.

Cheers Seasonn Five:funny, entertaining, and timeless
Cheers was one of the best sitcoms of the 80s. It was funny, entertaining, and timeless. My favorite characters are Norm, Diane, and Carla because each was unique and very funny in their own ways.

Here's all the episodes you'll get with Cheers - The Complete Fifth Season:

The Proposal (September 25, 1986)
We find out that Sam's telephone proposal was to Diane. But Diane feels that skirt-chaser Sam is just on the rebound.

The Cape Cad (October 2, 1986)
Diane goes to Cape Cod only to meddle and cause trouble during Sam's weekend with another women.

Money Dearest (October 9, 1986)
Cliff couldn't be happier when he finds out that his mom is going to marry a rich man. But he sings a different turn when Esther's fiance decides to donate all of his wealth.

Abnormal Psychology (October 16, 1986)
Diane assists Lilith so that Frasier will find her more appealing.

House of Horrors With Formal Dining and Used Brick (October 30, 1986)
Cliff helps Carla find a new home which is within her budget. But, the house is haunted! The Cheers gang learn that Carla is scarier than any haunted house.

Tan N' Wash (November 6, 1986)
Norm starts a new business, the Tan N' Wash, which the gang wants to invest it. But the investment is a washout.

Young Dr. Weinstein (November 13, 1986)
Stung by Diane's cold behavior, Sam tries to impress her by getting reservations at the most exclusive spot in Boston.

Knights of the Scimitar (November 27, 1986)
Cliff prods a reluctant Norm to join the lodge and Sam thinks Diane has invented a suitor to gain his interest and get some extra attention.

Thanksgiving Orphans (November 27, 1986)
The Cheers crew all gathers around Carla's table for frozen turkey and wisecracks.

Everyone Imitates Art (December 4, 1986)
Diane becomes obsessed with tracking down a poem that she is certain that Sam stole.

The Book of Samuel (December 11, 1986)
Woody delves into Sam's black book to find a date to impress his former girl friend, who is coming to Cheers to introduce her fiancé.

Dance, Diane, Dance (December 18, 1986)
Diane foolishly decides to audition for the Boston ballet even though she has no dancing talent.

Chambers vs Malone (January 8, 1987)
Again, Same proposes to Diane and ends up arrested when she turns him down.

Diamond Sam (January 15, 1987)
Sam feels bad for buying Diane an imitation ring.

Spellbound (January 22, 1987)
Nick vows to steal Diane away from Sam when Sam defends Loretta's efforts to ditch Nick and start her own career as a singer. This episode aired before the pilot of "The Tortellis" withDan Hedaya (as Nick Tortelli).

Never Love a Goalie (1) (January 29, 1987)
Carla falls in love with Eddie LeBec, a hockey player. Diane is the holdout juror on a murder trial.

Never Love a Goalie (2) (February 5, 1987)
Eddie's career cools down after he starts seeing Carla. The murder defendant pays a visit to Diane at Cheers.

One Last Fling (February 12, 1987)
Diane allows Sam 24 hours for a final fling before their marriage ceremony.

Dog Bites Cliff (February 19, 1987)
Cliff sees dollar signs after a dog bites him while delivering the mail, until he meets the dog's beautiful and very friendly owner.

Dinner at Eight-ish (February 26, 1987)
Frasier and Lilith invite Sam and Diane over for dinner to celebrate their first week of living together.

Simon Says (March 5, 1987)
Diane pesters a noted British marriage counselor into seeing her and Sam for a prenuptial session, then refuses to heed his advice.

The Godfather, Part III (March 19, 1987)
Sam's goddaughter Joyce Pantusso (the late Coach's niece) comes for a visit. Sam asks Woody to show her around town. They hit it off, and Woody and Joyce have a surprise for Sam when they get engaged!

Norm's First Hurrah (March 26, 1987)
Norm elaborates on his new position with a top CPA firm and is caught in his little white lies when the Cheers gang decides to surprise him at his new job.

Cheers: the Motion Picture (April 2, 1987)
The gang tries to reassure a nervous Mr. and Mrs. Boyd back in Indiana that Woody is all right and has wonderful friends in Boston by making a home movie of an average day at Cheers.

A House is Not a Home (April 30, 1987)
Diane is haunted by the memories of the couple who lived a long and happy life together in the home she and Sam have purchased. These people haven't passed away, they are incurable pests who keep dropping in.

I Do and Adieu (May 7, 1987)
Diane goes off with Sumner Sloane (the man that left her at Cheers in the pilot) because he comes back and states that a publisher is interested in one of her manuscripts.







... Read more

Amazon.com

The definition of comfort television is this: You want to go where you know everybody's name. And you're always glad you came. Long one of DVD's most wanted, Cheers is at last open for business in this four-disc set that contains all 22 episodes of the first, and best, season of one of the defining series of the 1980s. Cheers inherited the mantle from Taxi as television's best ensemble-driven workplace comedy. It can be instructive to return to a long-running series' more humble beginnings. While Cheers got drunk on farce in its later seasons, it began life as a much more grounded human comedy. In these inaugural episodes, the action does not stray from the Boston bar owned by Sam Malone, a washed-up baseball player three years sober. The straws that stir the drink are the lineup of MVPs: Nick Colasanto as addled Coach; Rhea Perlman, the Thelma Ritter of her generation, as surly and fertile waitress Carla; George Wendt as quintessential barfly Norm; and John Ratzenberger as Cliff, the bar know-it-all ready with "little-known facts" (and blessedly far from the pathetic blowhard his character would evolve into).

Spiking this concoction is the palpable chemistry between Ted Danson's Sam and Shelley Long's Diane Chambers, fledgling waitress and self-described "student of life." The battle lines are drawn in the episode "Sam's Women": He's the "dim ex-baseball player" and she, "the post graduate." But, as Carla so indelicately puts it, they can't "put their glands on hold." In the first blush of lust, they were primetime's most potent mismatched couple until Moonlighting's David and Maddie bantered entendres. Here are little remembered facts: Sam was initially "an astute judge of human character." Guest stars Fred Dryer ("Sam at Eleven") and Julia Duffy ("Any Friend of Diane's") were among those considered for the roles of Sam and Diane. A pre-"Night Court" Harry Anderson stole his scenes in his recurring role as flim-flam man Harry ("Pick a Con...Any Con"). The lack of a commentary track is a disappointment, as are the extras that wouldn't fill a shot glass. Still, Cheers patrons can expect plenty of happy hours with this set. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (39)

The best first season of any TV situation comedy ever
"Cheers" is an atypical classic television situation comedy in that its first season (1982-83) is arguably its best. The show won the Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series, Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Shelley Long, Directing in a Comedy Series: James Burrows, "Showdown (Part 2)," Writing in a Comedy Series: Glen Charles, Les Charles, "Give Me a Ring Sometime," and even Outstanding Individual Achievement/Graphic Design and Title Sequences: James Castle, Bruce Bryant. This would explain why the series, which finished 75th in the Nielsens with a 13.1 rating, survived on NBC's Thursday night lineup.

Looking back on the series as a whole it becomes clear that one inherent advantage for "Cheers" was that no matter what joke the writers came up with there was the perfect character to tell it. If you had a sarcastic barb then that went to Carla (Rhea Perlman), a dumb comment would come out of the mouth of Coach (Nick Colasanto), the arcane bar trivia belonged to Cliff (John Ratzenberger), the caustic non-sequiters and marriage humor was the province of Norm (George Wendt), the intellectual bon mots went to Diane (Shelley Long), and Sam (Ted Danson) played the Lord of the Come Ons. Equally as important, the bar where everybody knows your name was an appropriate place for all of these types of humor. As Diane says in the first episode: "Where better than here to study life in all its facets? People meet in bars, they part, they rejoice, they suffer, they come here to be with their own kind."

But the most important thing was that "Cheers" made the opposite attract concept work. Televison has a hard time handling romantic comedy. Making it work, like on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" is the exception; the rule is Dave and Maddie imploding on "Moonlighting." But Cheers managed to make the story of Sam and Diane with its on again, off again, really off, back on, never going to happen, then again who knows for several seasons. On the eve of her elopement Diane Chambers comes to Cheers and while sitting on a barstool sees her entire life crumble before her eyes. By the end of the night she is a barmaid and although Diane and Sam have nothing in common, they are doomed. At the end of the season when Sam's brother shows up to sweep Diane off her feet with an invitation to Paris, we know that Sam will finally confess his feelings ("Showdown, Part 2"), although Diane has to threaten to run her fingernails on the chalkboard to get him to stay. Then comes one of the great final clinches of all time.

I always say that I liked "Cheers" before Sam left the show, which confuses people since it was Shelley Long's Diane who left the show (but managed to return a few times). But my point is that the Sam of these early years, and the first season in particular, was a much different character from the show's second half. There was a pathos to Sam, which disappeared when the mental image of him dancing with Diane when they were old and grey from her final episode faded away. Sam the womanizer was a joke during those final seasons: but in this first year you can see how charming he can be: the point is amply proven when Sam tells Diane where he remembers seeing the same color as he sees in her eyes. There is also an edge to Sam as an ex-baseball player ("Sam at Eleven" and "Endless Slump") that disappears later on as it becomes one giant joke.

When you watch the complete first season again on DVD you will see that there is a serious side to "Cheers." Watch Coach's daughter (Allyce Beasley) try to explain to her father that she is not beautiful in "The Coach's Daughter" without crying. Of course that was the episode they showed to honor Nick Colasanto when he passed away. But there is also the choice episodes that feature quick appearances ("Sam at Eleven") and complete episodes ("Pick a Con...Any Con") focusing on Harry the Hat (Harry Anderson). Another thing that helps take the pressure off the Sam-Diane potential romance is the bumbling antagonism between Diane and Carla. This is a constant note that can pop up at any time during an episode, but sometimes Carla goes out of her way to play with Diane's mind ("Truth or Consequences," "Father Knows Last").

This is my favorite season of "Cheers" and I am willing to take on any and all comers who want to offer rebuttal to my claim that this is the greatest first season for any situation comedy in television history. "I Love Lucy," "The Honeymooners," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "All in the Family," "M*A*S*H," "Seinfeld," "Friends," all got a lot better after their inaugural season. None of them started as great as "Cheers" did, and if you want to discuss this over a drink I will have a cola with a couple of cherries in it, please.

Where everybody knows your name!
NBC's hit sitcom Cheers was seen Thursday evenings just like The Cosby Show. It premiered on September 30,1982,immediately bringing CBS's Archie Bunker's Place's ratings down. Eight days earlier,NBC launched Family Ties. At the time of Cheers' premiere,every cast member was either unknown or little known. Ted Danson is Sam Malone,the owner and operator of Cheers,a pub and short order restaurant who used to be a baseball player. This series was based on a real establishment in Boston. Shelley Long is Diane Chambers,an aspiring novelist who is Sam's on-and-off girlfriend(she would leave the series after the 1986-87 season). Rhea Perlman is Carla Tortelli,one of Cheers' waitresses who is acid-tongued and often bitchy. Perlman's real-life husband(was then and still is) Danny DeVito's sitcom Taxi moved from ABC to NBC when Cheers premiered. John Ratzenberger is Cliff Claven,a mailman who frequented the establishment. George Wendt is Norm Peterson who was also a frequent patron. Nicholas Colasanto is Nick "Coach" Pantusso who worked as a bartender(Colasanto died in '85 thus being replaced by Woody Harrelson). It is possible that Cheers won an Emmy for Best New Series in 1983. Like The Jeffersons,Married...With Children and Happy Days,this series would last 11 seasons! Throughout the series,Danson,Long,Perlman and Wendt would have film careers. As for Taxi,that series ended after the 1982-83 season as did Archie Bunker's Place.

A Classic 80s Sitcom!
I used to watch Cheers on NBC in the 80s with my parents and I think it's a very good show! Very witty! The cast is top notch, Ted Danson as bar owner and former baseball player Sam, Shelley Long and Rhea Perlman as waitresses Diane and Carla who are opposites in every way and sarcastic streetwise Carla loves to give uptight, prim and proper Diane a hard time! The great cast also includes Nicholas Colosanto as Sam's former Coach who is now a bartender in Sam's bar and regulars Norm and Cliff played by George Wendt and John Ratzenberger. I highly recommend this sitcom!

"Thank God There's One Place In The World...."
There are a few shows that are always, and will always, be included on every list there is naming the best shows that of all time on television. One that has always been there since it's time, and will continue to do so, is the brilliant piece of work that detailed the lives of people in the quaint Boston bar known as Cheers. It's rare for a television show to be as perfect as can be and gain all the right accolades, but this show was one of them. Premiering in 1982, and finishing the first season at number 72, out of 72 shows(!), the bar where everybody knows your name became a national treasure and introduced the world to a cast of characters that would become some of the most beloved people to appear on your screen. Ex Boston Red Sox player Sam Malone(Ted Danson), snooty barmaid Diane Chambers(Shelley Long), tough as nails barmaid Carla(Rhea Perlman), dim but loveable bartender Coach(Nicholas Colasanto), perennial barfly Norm(George Wendt), and know it all postman Cliff Clavin(John Ratzenberger). You knew right away that there was something special to this show. The premiere episode, "Give Me A Ring Sometime", introduced Diane to Cheers, and got the set up going. There were many great episodes, actually all of them, but too many to list all. "The Coach's Daughter" was a strong and emotional episode with Coach trying to help his daughter who is marrying an obnoxious leech of a man. "One For The Book" is a classic with Diane getting involved with a young man who plans to go into a monastery the next day. "The Spy Who Came In For A Cold One" is classic Cheers when a mysterious man comes into the bar and everyone wondering who he is. Classic Diane is shown in "Let Me Count The Ways", where she is devastated over the death of her beloved cat, Elizabeth Barret Browning, and the gang's cold shoulder towards her. "The Boys In The Bar" find the Cheers regulars worried that their favorite watering hole might become a gay hangout after a friend of Sam's reveals his homosexuality. Classic. "Someone Single, Someone Blue" is a big favorite of mine. Diane learns her mother will lose her late husband's fortune if Diane doesn't get married. So, her and Sam try what they can to save her mother from poverty. The two part season finale, "Showdown Pt. 1" and "Showdown Pt. 2" is Cheers at it's earliest best. The Sam/Diane triangle was exceptional, and it really got going in these two episodes, especially when Sam's more glorious older brother throws things into the mix. My favorite ep is "Diane's Perfect Date", where Sam sets Diane up on a blind date with a man who turns out to be a nurderer. There are so many more wonderful eps and moments here, but there are just too many to mention. Just one of the great things about this masterful show. A lot of good stuff!. The writing was so strong, funny, and intelligent. Writing that is almost extinct in sitcom world nowadays. The acting was superb, and everyone had their own distinction to their character. It was, and still is, as well as with cast changes down the road, one of the most exemplary depictions of a pitch perfect cast. Season one is a treasure. Bring on seasons 2 -11!!.

One of the Best Shows of All Time
Cheers is one of my favorite TV show, and certainly my favorite sitcom. The first season had some very classic episodes, including my favorite episode of all time: "Diane's Perfect Date", better known as the first "Andy Andy" episode. Hilarious! I highly reccomend this collection to anyone who is a Cheers fan, and anyone who is not that familiar with the show. It's classic, and worth the small investment! ... Read more

Reviews (1130)

Saving Private Ryan DVD: Definitive Movie on D-Day
This was an awe-inspiring, horrific and honest portrayal of the D-Day landing and the extraordinary sacrifices made by ordinary individuals. Spielberg's hand-held in your face film technique immerses the viewer into the action. Without a doubt, Speilberg's depiction of the landing on Normandy Beach is one the most intense battle scenes ever filmed.

It is no less than a sheer masterpiece of filmaking. It is a well-researched, authentic anti-war statement that stands as a tribute to those individuals who endured horrific circumstances and literally saved the free world from tyranny.

Saving Private Ryan accomplishes what Schindler's list did in regard to the holocaust and what Oliver Stone's Platoon accomplished in its statement on Vietnam.

In addition, Spielberg has not only paid a deserving tribute to the veterans of World War II, he has also produced an excellent anti-war film that deglorifies warfare. There was nothing romantic about being butchered on the battlefield. If there is a hell, the D-Day veterans have already been there.

Saving Private Ryan is without a doubt one of the most honest, realistic combat movies ever made. Although Spielberg may not have gotten it all down in regard to the war with Germany; his depiction in regard to Normandy Beach and D-Day are right on target!

A terrifically powerful film
"Saving Private Ryan" is probably the best World War 2 movie ever made. The cast is excellent, and the cinematography unparalleled. The use of the hand-held, filtered camera during the battle scenes brings Capa's D-Day photographs to life. The story is simple--eight men are sent to find another soldier behind enemy lines--yet powerful by that very virtue. It is full of brilliant cinematic moments, such as the segueway after the horrific opening D-Day sequence: The screen goes blank for a second, and we hear the layered sounds of typewriters clicking like machine guns as Army typists write next of kin letters...Raindrops falling, then falling faster and dissolving into the sound of gunfire...
Throughout the film, we are shown many aspects of combat: the depersonalization which occurs in battle (Hanks' Captain Miller staring paralyzed at the carnage around him on the Normandy beach for a moment, then stoically replacing his blood-filled helmet); the tragedy of a single death (Giovanni Ribisi's Wade calling for his mother as he dies--the most realistic and moving depiction of death in cinema, to me...); heroism and cowardice. The music is great, the characters vividly drawn, the historical details perfect.

Steven Spielberg made this film as a tribute to his father, who served as a radio operator in the Pacific theater. His first film, made when he was thirteen, was a war story (in which he was allowed to use real airplanes at a nearby airbase for some of the shots). He'd been thinking of making a big film like this for a long time, and it is rewarding to watch.

Surprisingly impressive, stands out among war movies
Most of us expect a low-rate, pointless and overall tacky war movie from today's money-hungry industry, but SPR has done well in distancing itself from our presumptions. If you've never seen it before, than you'll be surprised at how well the movie is puit together. Aside from the usual modern-day method of pumping a movie full of A-List actors, a predictable script, less-than-impressive direction, irrelevent acting, and the overall novelty that one can come to expect of supposed dramas of today's glamour industry.

The story follows Captain John H. Miller and his team, including a sniper, a medic, an Arab, a surly private, and an acceptable Vin Diesel, to rescue James F. Ryan, a private in a paratrooper squad whose three brothers have been killed in action. A mission susceptible to much protest, and ultimately one that will cost many lives.

Everything about the movies feels as if it was done right. The overall atmosphere feels right, and it makes you feel as if you're sitting inside the movie--you can almost feel the moisture of the air seething through your clothes or the subtle sunshine warm your shoulders and forehead. The acting is very good as well, although you can spot some parts where improvement wouldn't hurt and it at times feels tacky and stunted. The direction is done well, as the actors can easily pass as soldiers, but the aforementioned cut corners could bring you away from the total immersion and feeling.

Saving Private Ryan is very worthwhile, and any war movie buff in his right mind would praise it as innovative and a revival of the genre.

Guts and gory
Does anyone still believe WWII was the good war, and that cynicism, spin control and U.S. brutality were born in Vietnam? If so, Steven Spielberg's visceral re-creation of the Secend World War experience will be a shocker: The film's battle scenes are anarchic, bloody, frenzied and studded with atrocious acts. Screenwriter Robert Rodat's script (based loosly on an actual incident and heavily indebted to historian Stephen Ambrose), however, sticks to familiar ground. Battled-scarred Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) is sent on a special mission to retrieve one Private Ryan (Matt Damon), who merits heric efforts because he's the sole survivor of four enlisted brothers, and his safe return is conceived as a home-front morale booster. Miller's hand-picked squadron is a checklist of war-movie types--hard-nosed sergeant (Tom Sizemore); decent private (Vin Diesel); Brooklyn wiseass (Edward Burns), introspective medic (Giovanni Ribsi); tough Jew (Adam Goldberg); pious Southern sharpshooter (Barry Pepper); and bookish corporal (Jeremy Davis) with no frontline experience--whose destinies follow a well-worn path. The exception is the GI who clings to the hope that war exposes the hidden strength in men, and instead has the worst wrenched out of him in a scene that elicits scattered applause but seems designed to evoke a mixture of pity and contempt. The movie's greatest strength lies in phenomenal performances that reach from the leads right down to the smallest supporting roles: Hanks' affability is worked under Miller's hardened skin, and Damon gives Ryan a boyish determination ans convincing as it is naive. Spielberg does some of his best work (the pointless preasent-day framing sequence notwithstanding), but follows in distinguished footsteps: Among the films that should'nt be lost in the rush to praise are Samuel Fuller's harrowing BIG RED ONE, whose credo--"The only glory in war is surviving"-- could be the movie's own.

You ARE There...
I watched SAVING PRIVATE RYAN not knowing what to expect. I'm not a big war movie fan, my taste running more toward horror / sci-fi / comedy. Within seconds I was totally engrossed in this all-too-real depiction of WW II. The bullets ripping men apart, the panic, the frantic kill-or-be-killed atmosphere, the almost continuous chaos, interrupted only briefly by spurts of calm, all added up to one joltingly great movie classic! Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, and every castmember is believable and human. There are no cigar-chomping superheroes in this story, just regular guys in an overwhelmingly dire situation (I felt like even I could be one of them). Spielberg tears off the sugary coating of the typical war film, revealing the squirming guts beneath. Pulling zero punches, he shows us war up close and disturbingly personal. Still, SPR is filled with warmth, humor, and that sense of brotherhood that would risk so much for one soldier. I love this movie and cannot recommend it highly enough... ... Read more

Amazon.com

It looks great: season two of the situation comedy many consider the best ever produced on American television has a superb presentation on this DVD collection. The colors are rich, the images sharp--a vast improvement over those murky reruns in perpetual TV syndication.

Then, of course, there are the consistently brilliant episodes from Cheers' sophomore year. Despite its low-rated debut in 1982, the ensemble farce set in a Boston bar confidently returned with several strong story arcs, including the turbulent, screwball romance between intellectual poseur Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) and affable primitive Sam Malone (Ted Danson), romantic conflicts for the sexually voracious and deeply cynical barmaid Carla (Rhea Perlman), and marital separation for beloved barfly Norm (George Wendt). With John Ratzenberger signing on as a full-time cast member (playing pompous jive-slinger and postman Cliff Claven), and those opaque one-liners by the clueless Coach (Nicholas Colasanto), Cheers was firing on all cylinders.

Episode highlights include "They Call Me Mayday," in which talk-show personality Dick Cavett, playing himself, convinces Sam the public would be interested in the former major league pitcher's autobiography--a notion that throws the unpublished, would-be novelist Diane into disbelief. Also wonderful is "Where There's a Will," guest-starring George Gaynes as a rich, dying man who leaves the gang $100,000 on a paper napkin will. "No Help Wanted" finds Sam's friendship with down-on-his-luck accountant Norm strained when the latter has a go at the bar's books, while the great "Coach Buries a Grudge" features the addled, elder statesman of Cheers delivering a memorable eulogy for a friend after discovering the dead man had an affair with his wife. Opinions vary about the worthiness of Cheers' latter years (the show ended in 1993), but no one disputes the merit of its groundbreaking start. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (21)

About time!!
I am a huge fan of cheers, and nothing makes me happier than to finally see that Paramount will continue releasing Cheers on DVD.
The special features appear to be bigger and better in Season two, and this collection is a treat to any Cheers fan because some of the best episodes of the series were from season two. Sam and Diane's relationship took off, and look for the reactons of the other regulars...to quote Norm Peterson "I miss the good old days when they threw up at the sight of eachother"
Season is gets 5 stars becasuse of brilliant writting, and the exceptionally talented acting.

The Greatest Show Ever Bar None!!
Cheers is the best show ever!! I bought the First Season the day it came out, and I'll buy the Second Season the day it comes out.The writing is brilliant, the acting is the best that's ever been on TV. The First and Second Season are the the best seasons ever!! Along with the 3rd, 4th, 5th etc. The whole show is great and there is not one thing wrong with it. Anybody who is anybody will own this, along with the First Season, and every other season that comes out. I have alot of respect for this show. So join Sam, Cliff, Coach, Carla, Norm, and Diane, in the Second Season of the greatest show ever!!! Pull up a stool, and get ready to laugh with the gang at the Boston bar where everybody knows your name. CHEERS

brilliant
this show is second to none,a wit and humor of a past when humor didnt need to fueled with carcasm, a classic in which one can only benefit from the experience of cheers. caution ! however, as it is only appreciated by the intelligent and cultured...

All The Important Things Are Here
I love how so many of the previous reviewers try to debate the quality of episodes from this, the second season. Say what you will, I enjoy watching this batch of episodes just as much as I do the later years after Kirstie Alley and Woody Harrelson had joined the cast.

The picture and sound quality are excellent. Using my player's zoom-in feature, I found NO pixilation and only slight graininess. The people responsible for video and sound transfer deserve a big fat pay raise! And as previously stated by another reviewer, the episodes look and sound better here than they ever have in syndication (sorry, Nick-at-Nite!).

And, most importantly to me, all the episodes are fully intact at their original network running times of approximately 24 minutes!

The extras aren't that much to get excited over. Interview footage from back-in-the-day was interesting. The clip-show featurettes are just collections of scenes and dialogue you'll see in the actual episodes. The blooper reel was fascinating, though kind of short and with horrendous picture and sound quality. But then again, who watches a blooper reel to be blown away by Dolby sound and state-of-the-art picture quality? Certainly not yours truly.

The picture on the cover? Okay, I can see why some would scoff, but I don't have a problem with it. I doubt I'll ever spend endless hours gazing at the cover art, and when it's sitting on my shelf with all the other DVD's, all I'm ever going to see is the spine. And I LOVE the spine! Really! It's beautiful!

I'm looking forward to season three's release, and hopefully seasons 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 won't be too far behind!

PS: Word on the street is that NBC decided to release the FINAL season of "Frasier" this fall. A little out-of-order, but something to look forward to nonetheless.

HORRIBLE!
How can anyone like this show? It's so stupid and Shelly Long is annoying! Instead of putting this dumb crud out for the public why not instead look at GOOD shows? Like Family Ties or Growing Pains! THOSE WERE GOOD EIGHTIES SHOWS!!

CARLA NEEDS TO SHUT UP!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Season 3 of Cheers enriched television history in a lot of ways, most notably by introducing Kelsey Grammer as psychiatrist Frasier Crane while also bidding an off-screen farewell to Nicholas Colasanto, the actor who played Coach. (Colasanto died near the end of the season, and while Coach's character was kept alive via outtakes for remaining episodes, he essentially disappeared from Cheers before the commencement of year 4.)

Grammer's beloved character, who remained on NBC for 20 unbroken years (including the long-running Frasier), is ushered into the Cheers family when he meets barmaid Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) in a very funny, Emmy-nominated episode suggesting the neurotic course of their future romance. Meanwhile, Sam (Ted Danson), having fallen off the wagon due to his own tempestuous love affair with Diane, has to endure Frasier's questions about how to be intimate with the brainy babe. Elsewhere in Cheers' sardonic community, Cliff (John Ratzenberger), in a sweet but barbed episode, meets a woman (Bernadette Birkett) at a costume party and is afraid of re-introducing himself later. Norm (George Wendt) becomes aware of his mortality and decides to move to Bora Bora, and Sam (in another Emmy-nominated show) has to explain how he got shot in his posterior. Other good things: "The Heart Is a Lonely Snipe Hunter," in which the men of Cheers cruelly initiate Frasier in the manly art of snipe-hunting, and "Bar Bet," starring Jacqueline Bisset as a woman Sam must marry before a certain date or lose the bar forever. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Cheers is the best show ever!!!!!!!!!
I just got my Cheers: The Complete Third Season today, and it looks phenominal. I'm gonna watch it tonight, and over the course of the next few days.It's too bad the actor who played Coach, Nicholas Colasanto, died towards the end of this season he was great, and I missed him,through the other eight seasons.Though Woody Harrelson was a great replacement.The cover of this third season, is much improved over last seasons cover, but I did love the red Cheers lettering, just the pictures on the cover looked murky.The third seasons cover might be its best, so far, though the first seasons cover was great too. Cheers is the greatest show of all time. What other show can lose integral characters of the show, and still be great. Phenominal writing, and acting make Cheers top notch. And in my mind, there is not a better show in the world.

The Best!
Cheers is phenomenal, and the greatest show ever. Great acting and writing make Cheers top notch. Too bad Nicholas Colasanto died at the third season. Coach was great. Cheers is my favorite show of all time, and if you by the third season, you'll find out why.

Must-Have
My mom was a "Cheers" fan in the 80's. She'd be happy to watch it on DVD. I know I am.

After the 2nd season of "Cheers" got released on DVD, I thought we'd have to wait a while for the 3rd season. Well, we kinda did, but I mean a long while. I'm not sure how long, but it doesn't really matter. Hopefully, we won't have to wait very long for the 4th season to come out on DVD. I'd like to see Woody get in on the action. I liked Coach, he was great. He took everything too literally.

When the 1st season of "Cheers" was released on DVD in May of 2003, I was thrilled, I bought and watched it. But then towards September I was beginning to think the second season was never going to get released. Then in January (2004), it finally was, and I bought that, too. Then in May, the 3rd season came out and I bought it the day it was released.

Now I'm ready for the 4th season to come out on DVD. What if we have to wait until January for that? We might not have to, you never know. Hopefully, they won't keep us waiting for a year. I'm sure they won't.

There is no better........
Of al the countless shows that are being released on DVD, thank God I have my Cheers. I would be an axe-wielding maniac if I didn't get my daily dose of Cheers. Season 3 is great, but some tradgedy did fall. After Season 3, the beloved Coach is gone. However we are introduced to Kelsey Grammer as the 'new guy' Dr. Frasier Krane.

The season starts out with Cliff returning from his Florida vacation, and Diane has returned from a mental hospital in Connecticut. Sam has fallen off the wagon and is chasing skirts with little blood in his alcohol stream. With Coach's private urging, Diane works at Cheers again with Frasier's approval.

So sets the stage for the 25 episodes contained in Season 3. I'm not greedy or anything, but I'm already waiting for Season 4.

Another round...
"Cheers" is the highly-rated sit-com based around characters who frequent a Boston bar of the same name, owned by Sam Malone (Ted Danson) an ex-professional baseball pitcher and recovering alcoholic.

In this, the third season, we are introduced to waitress Diane's (Shelley Long) post-Sam new boyfriend, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), a snooty psychologist, who appears in a handful of episodes. Perhaps his best episode is when the guys reluctantly take him fishing, but leave him holding the bag in a snipe hunt. He turns the tables on them in the end, though. In the last episode cliff-hanger, he proposes to Diane.

We also meet Carla's ex-husband, Nick Tortelli (Dan Hedaya), who is only a few rungs up the evolutionary ladder. He has a new blond bombshell bimbo wife "Low-Ret-ta". He appears in a few episodes, and is possibly the funniest character of all.

The special features are so-so overall:

1. Virtual Vera, Shrink-Warped: Introducing Frasier Crane, and Carla's Whipping Boy are just short clips of/about those characters from the episodes. Nothing new at all.
2. Cheers Bar Tour - in this, Dahl Delu talks about some of the items found around the bar, such as the Indian statue, the piano, etc. It becomes filler at the end, however, when clicking on the soda-fizzer, cash-register and ice-box only results in sound effects. Worst of all, clicking on the juke-box results in hearing the theme song for the 26th time.
3. Nice piece on Nicholas Colasanto ("Coach") who died shortly after the season ended.

This is probably the best season so far. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A true pleaser
I didn't see this movie when it first ran on television, but recently bought the DVD and saw it for the first time. For a made for tv production, it was very well done, with an excellent and stellar cast. Ted Danson does a wonderful job as the title character, inflecting his character with the proper touch of wonder, disbelief, incredulity, and disgust at the different lands and things he sees during his travels.

I have to admit I wasn't sure what I would think when I first started to watch. I had read the book many years ago, when I was in school, and didn't recall a lot of it. However, as the story progressed, I was happy to see that the more I saw, the more I remembered of what I had read, and that the movie seemed to follow the important parts of the book. The thing I had most remembered were the talking horses, and wondered how well they would do that, but it was done well, so I have no complaints on that score.

As I said, the actors all did a remarkably good job, and the special effects were decent, making Gulliver appear to be both huge in the land of the little people, and then small himself in the land of the giants.

First rate family entertainment, and well worth seeing. Do yourself a favor and get it for your collection.

Wonderful production
I didn't know what I was going to see when I sat down to watch this movie. I had read the book many years ago when I was in high school, and didn't remember a lot of it, but certain things had stuck in my mind, and I was curious to see how they would go about matching the things I had in my imagination on the screen.

Well, I'm glad to say that what I saw was a very good adaptation of a novel into a splendidly made movie. From the acting, the scenery to the special effects, this was a well made production, especially considering that it was made as a television mini series when it was released.

Ted Danson does an excellent job of portraying Gulliver, from his wonder at some of the sights he comes upon to his ultimate revulsion of his own kind as he nears the end of his journeys. A lot of time and commitment were spent on ensuring that we are swept along with Gulliver on his travels so that we can understand his feelings.

I could go on naming the actors and actresses and how well they portrayed their parts, but I dont' want to get too redundant. If you want to see a well made movie that tells a good story without a ton of violence or a lot of swearing, then I highly recommend you pick up this movie. The price is right on it too.

Charming!
* Although video versions of Jonathan Swift's classic satire GULLIVER'S
TRAVELS have been done before, most prominently the prewar Fleischer animated
version, NBC felt the need to do a TV miniseries on the story. The result
turned out to be surprisingly interesting.

The producers did try, with little success, to impose a "personal interest"
story on top of Swift's non-stop satire, with Dr. Lemuel Gulliver (Ted
Danson) held in a lunatic asylum in reaction to the wild stories he told of
his journey, with his wife (Mary Steenbergen) trying to rescue him. That is
all neither here nor there, because it really doesn't either add much or get
in the way of the real story. Similarly, the fact that Danson's Lemuel
Gulliver isn't all that inspired isn't a problem, because even in Swift's
original he was little more than a narrator anyway.

All that said, however, this video production actually remains more true to
Swift's vision than other productions, in particular including (if in a brief
fashion) Gulliver's later voyages, such as to the floating city of Laputa.
The story is presented much as Jonathan Swift intended it -- as a scathing
and somewhat sanctimonious condemnation of human venality -- but it is still
entirely charming.

Much of this was due to excellent special effects. For example, Dr. Gulliver
reaches around the dome of a building in miniature Lilliput, and pigeons the
size of insects flutter away from his fingertips. Hwowever, short
appearances by well-known faces such as Omar Sharif and Geraldine Chaplin
(appearing lovely in Indian-style sari as the wife of the Rajah of Laputa,
complaining about the dullness of the learned and enjoying Gulliver's company
as an "ordinary unintelligent male") and the wit of Swift's story (the
intellectuals of Laputa are batted by their servants to bring their attention
back to reality when needed) also help carry it very well.

I keep wondering if anyone ever decided to come up with a new printing of
GULLIVER'S TRAVELS that uses the picture-pretty imagery from the NBC
production as illustrations. GULLIVER'S TRAVELS is a great book but a old
one, and such marvelous illustrations would help make it more accessible to a
modern audience. [Update of review from 1996.]

I know I usually give 4 stars as my best...
But this Hallmark TV production was so exceptional, I felt five was the least this sucker deserved.

This was the first of an extended series of high-toned TV movies produced by Robert Halmi Sr. for NBC and ABC that had production values previously unseen on television. In art direction and general feel, this production of the Jonathan Swift classic resembled "Amadeus" more than it resembled "The Winds Of War" or "Mother, Can I Sleep With Danger?".

And considering the choice for the titular lead, comic actor and former model Ted Danson, it could have been a real disaster. It wasn't! The man acquits himself nicely as the somewhat incredulous Lemuel Gulliver, the hero of a satirical tale told by the very cynical Jonathan Swift, Britain's answer to Voltaire.

The story features very fanciful alllusions to pettiness, classic paranoia of the delusions of grandeur variety, pomposity, a favorite target of Swift's, and superciliousness. There's the tiny Lilliputians, their opposites, the Brondignagians, the equine Houiynihms, (who, I seem to remember, were supposed to resemble giraffes as well,) and many other fantastic characters, all rendered beautifully in this, the first of a distinguished list of first rate classical adaptations shown on NBC in the late 90s.

The cast list is unbelieavble...people who had NEVER been on TV before, like Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, James Fox, Isabelle Huppert, Geraldine Chaplin (hello!), Shashi Kapoor and John Gielgud were sprinkled all through it. The sets are incredible and acting superb. If either this or the later "The Odyssey" had been released as feature films, they would have garnered significant praise for production values and acting, as well as fidelity to their sources, (despite some serious key scene omissions,) and probably would have generated respectable box office.

Special effects, cinematography and scene direction made this a good bellwether for a raft of films unlike any TV had ever seen since the fifties, when top quality productions of plays by well known playwrights peppered prime time schedules.

The general take on the story treats the main character, Lemuel Gulliver, as someone just about everybody, including his wife, for a while, thinks is certifiably insane, as he keeps rambling on about the fantastic lands and people he has supposedly seen. Most of the "real world" story, in fact, takes place in either an asylum, where he has been committed, or a courtroom, where his case is being heard.

It's obvious to the viewer, too, that Lemuel has dreamt all of this, because these places couldn't possibly exist. However, a real curve ball is thrown in the end when a truly diminutive sheep is found and provided as evidence that at least proves Lilliput existed.

Mary Steenbergen went on after this, ( a lot of the actors were recycled in future productions of this type by Halmi,) to portray the wife of Noah in a gawd-awful NBC production of "Noah's Ark", a production that mated the story of Lot and Sodom & Gomorah, (sans Abraham,) with the story of the flood. There was a ridiculous dream sequence inserted in this disaster that showed that Halmi's production crew was getting a WEE bit too satisfied with itself as Steenbergen, especially, spoke bubbleheaded lines that seemed WAY out of place for the setting of the story.

She should have stuck with 18th century satires! :-)

Excellent film adaptation true to a great Novel
I admit to being skeptical, but tried this DVD based upon other reviews. I've seen a number of film adaptations of Swift's intelligent & scathing 18th c. satire which routinely treat the story as a children's adventure novel. Ted Danson is a wonder; his acting is superb; the script is excellent. On the whole, don't be misled to think this a fluff production by star-studded cast; many are amazing. The novel is treated with respect & the ideas area conveyed with integrity. A must for adults & children. My daughter who is 12 was pulled in & kept interested by the great acting & scenery - to learn & watch the story. This is the stuff that great novels & films are all about. ... Read more

Description

Five spooky stories, written by Stephen King, are shown in a format based on the popular horror comics of the 1950's. ... Read more

Reviews (87)

Spooky fun
Director George Romero (Night of the Living Dead) and horror author extraordinairre Stephen King teamed up for this adaptation/homage to the classic 1950's horror EC Comics, and while the film as a whole has it's share of creepy moments, it's more of a fun horror film, and a labor of love for Romero and King. Five tales are told, beginning with a dead, rich father coming back to life for his birthday cake (yes, you read that right), a simplistic farmer finding a strange meteorite, an insanely jealous husband taking vengeance on his cheating wife and her lover only to get it back to him, a mistreated husband discovering a box containing a monster which he unleashes on his drunken wife, and a man with a severe cockroach problem. Featuring Adrienne Barbeau, Hal Holbrook, Ed Harris, Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, and even King himself, plus great gore and makeup effects by the always excellent Tom Savini; Creepshow is a real treat.

Great Original Horror Film!
In this collaboration with Stephen King, director George Romero assembles a distinguished cast and pays vividly hued homage to the E.C. horror comics of the 1950s. (This film appeared years before the TALES FROM THE CRYPT series.) Five creepy tales are strung together by a framing story involving a young boy being punished by his father for reading the gruesome, titular comic book. "Father's Day" tells the tale of a family patriarch exacting beyond-the-grave revenge on the daughter who murdered him. In "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill," a Maine hayseed (King himself in a ridiculously over-the-top performance) is overtaken by a meteor-based plant growth. A cuckolded husband exacts watery revenge on his cheating wife and her lover in "Something to Tide You Over." A hairy beast in a box is used for nefarious purposes at a university in "The Crate." Finally, in "They're Creeping Up on You," a wealthy, arrogant New Yorker with a fear of germs has a disturbing run-in with cockroaches during a blackout.

While the stories are a bit brief, the style is appropriate for the anthology format. Romero's use of garish colors to mimic the ink in comic books is visually appealing, preventing the gore on display from being too off-putting. Featuring early appearances by actors such as Ed Harris and Ted Danson, CREEPSHOW is eerie, engaging entertainment.

There are so many reasons why I like this film. The length of the film. 120 minutes. That's two hours of horror stories. If you notice lately, any movie that has more than two stories is usually about an hour and a half. Stephen King and George A. Romero on the other hand, were able to put together a two hour film.

It's mostly the suspensful scenes, that get you asking, "what if that was me?" Seeing people suffer in this movie, adds a great effect on the audience. Most of the time I could feel the pain they were going through. Like Ted Danson's story, or when Ed Harris was under that grave. Stephen King was funny as he acted as a retarded farm boy.

If you haven't seen this film, then do so. If you get the same effect I did, then my review should be helpful to you.

Oh yeah! if you're one of those guys who like having snacks and pop during a scary movie, then I would suggest you eat up fast before the last story. Trust me on this one!

I hope my review was helpful to you!

Creepy and cool, the best short story horror movie
This is, for me, the best short story horror film i seen so far. I seen a good amount, i am not going to say all but i seen enough to know what is good and not good. This is the best. I love all the stories, some have there weak moments but the one wih the moster in the box and the roaches are the best. I dont want to type a lot but pure in simple this movie is a good rental and worth 10 or 15 bucks in my book.

it has its charm
What can you say about this movie? It isn't the best movie King has written, not by far. Romero has given us better films--Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead. It has bad animation. Bad effects (even though I am a Savini fan). Bad acting, though we get a young Ed Harris and Leslie Nielsen does put in a surprisingly good performance. And it has those annoying comic book frames within frames. There is a lot to hate about this film. But it does have a certain charm to it. Ted Danson helpless and not so suave or in control. A gruesomeness to it. King plays the hokey hick very well. You can't help but to like this movie, bad as it is.

For TALES FROM THE CRYPT fans everywhere!
The film tells the story of a young boy whose comic contains five stories told in the same vein of early 50's horror comic stories. The film is written by Stephan King (who also appears in the second story in his only starring role,) and directed by George A. Romerio (origonal LIVING DEAD trilogy). Included also are a few brief animated sequences.

A man pays a visit to his family from beyond the grave...

A farmer finds a meteorite that, when broken, spills fourth a strange moss that grows on everything, including his own flesh...

A man and his lover seek revenge on her husband AFTER they've been murdered...

A mysterious crate found in the basement of a college hids some thing that should never be let out. You're about to find out what...

Finally, a cold-hearted billionare with a horrible fear of germs and insects finds his penthouse apartment infested with nine hundread QUADRILLION cockroaches! ... Read more

Amazon.com

While scoring high-profile credits as a screenwriter (including The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark), Lawrence Kasdan made his directorial debut with this steamy, contemporary film noir in the tradition of Double Indemnity and other classics from the 1940s. In one of his most memorable roles, William Hurt plays a Florida lawyer unwittingly drawn into a web of deceit spun by Kathleen Turner (in her screen debut) as a married socialite who plots to kill off her husband with Hurt's assistance. Kasdan's dialogue is a hoot (sometimes it borders on satire), and the sultry atmosphere is a perfect complement to the perspiration-soaked chemistry between Hurt and Turner, whose love scenes caused quite a stir when the film was released in 1981. John Barry's score sets the provocative mood, and both Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke are splendid in memorable supporting roles. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Great Film Noir. Never Has A Film Had Such Sexual Tension.
The greatest film noir ever made! (Detour [1945] is second) Perfectly cast. It was this film where I took notice of William Hurt and would forever remember Kathleen Turner in such a memorable role (Her first film). Director Lawrence Kasdan did an excellent and outstanding job on this film. A one of a kind. never has a film made me feel such sexual tension and wanting. You can feel the heat! Ted Danson has an annoying role. Richard Crenna plays a real McCoy of a husband. Mickey Rourke in an earlier role before his success. You may recognize Lanna Saunders who played "Marie Horton" (a nun) on the NBC serial Days Of Our Lives from 1979-1985. Another soap opera actress, Kim Zimmer also has a very important role in this movie. Widescreen and Full Screen available on one disc. Adults Only!

A true piece of film noir!
BODY HEAT hits the bullseye!The story is about Ned Racine(William Hurt),a lawyer that does not seem to know the meaning of the word AMBITION.During one summer night,he meets Matty Walker(Kathleen Turner),a sexy married woman who turns down every man who wants her.However one night,she agrees to be with Ned and the beginning of a steamy liaison takes place.Some time after that,she declares her love for Ned and wants a little favor from him that will be convenient for them:she wants him to kill her rich husband.Kathleen Turner is very convincing as Matty,her first role in a motion picture.The musical score by John Barry is very good.The music is very memorable.Some parts tend to be a bit slow moving but they dont bore because of critical information they offer that will make you understand specific events that occur in the film.One of the best movies of the 1980s,no question about it!

A towering film noir!
Body heat meant the reinassance of the film noir in the eighties. Kasdan made his best picture to date. He's a very intelligemt film maker ; and employed the craft of one of the two greatest sex symbols of the eighties the talented and beauty Kathleen Turner who altogether with Theresa Russell completed the sexy duo.
Turner made reached the peak of the perfection the role of femme fatale ; the spider woman , who cleverly makes her web , waiting for a private eye who falls in love with her.

She's married and as you well suppose is very unhappy with her husband (Richard Crenna) ; the plot is superbly built from start to finnish ; the locations the heat we can feel it even outside the screen . The art direction ; the sliding camera and the enlightment are first rate. Search for Mickey Rourke in a cameo.
If you ask me about the best film noir of this decade ; this would head the list ; the others would be in order of importance : The postman rings always twice , Blood simple , Bad timing and the Black widow.
A must in your collection!

Stylish mystery; with excellent acting, and a hot Turner.
This movie, which follows the relationship between a lawyer (William Hurt) and a sultry woman (Kathleen Turner) provides a stylish mix, of sex, mystery, and relationships. With excellent performances throughout; and a very hot (at that time) Ms. Turner, it's a fairly good movie. Nice "jazzy" soundtrack, with the exception of one Bob Seger song (also cool). Kathleen Turner is one cool lady, as she seeks to knock off her husband (Richard Crenna), and later; when she gets greedy, her lover (Mr. Hurt). The sex was fairly steamy, given that it was an "R" movie, and she can convey more eroticism; with her facial expressions than some women could with their entire (nude) bodies. And speaking of bodies, while Ms. Turner isn't the most (physically) endowed woman, she does manage to use what she has to advantage. Sex aside, some interesting supporting performance by Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke too. Worth a look.

Beware!
Don't get me wrong because I love this movie but I got it with a few extras that I didn't expect. First I thought it was a little tacky that there was a price tag on the DVD that was $3 less then what I paid for it. Paying a little extra money wasn't what really made me mad because I still got a pretty good deal for the DVD, what made me angry was the fact that the DVD arrived with little insects crawling on it! I think that the DVD came from a warehouse in Illinois so watch out! My package arrived sealed with my DVD and compementary insects inside. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

"Gone Sailing"
4.5 stars. I was walking up and down the aisles of my local video store the other day and I was getting frustrated. The new release I wanted to rent wasn't there, none of the films on my short rental list were even available. So I wandered the aisles, sulking, when I noticed a movie I hadn't seen in years. It was "Cousins," with Ted Danson and Isabella Rossellini. Why not? I really didn't remember much about it other than rave critical reviews from the time. I was a teenager at the time so it is not really surprising that I don't remember a romance film. That was the last thing on my mind. Anyway, I got it home, dished up some spaghetti, and sat down to watch an "okay" movie. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself interested in the goings on of each and every character in this large ensemble cast. But the throughline story involves the two main actors, Ted and Isabella. Their romance is both realistic and fantastical, where they are able to see all the wonders of the world merely by staring into each other's eyes. Now, at first that may sound sappy. Believe me, I'm the last man on Earth to be attracted to a romance film, but somehow this one got to me. It could have been Isabella Rossellini, who for a large part of the film resembled her gorgeous mother, Ingrid Bergman. It was like watching a "classic romance" filmed for a different era, Mrs. Bergman's daughter absolutely glowing like her mother used to. There are also obvious nods to the film "Moonstruck" with its sometimes quirky characters caught in realistic situations. This movie could have been called "3 Weddings and a Funeral." It has a Hollywood ending, complete with sailing off toward the horizon, all the couple's dreams coming true, but somehow I loved it. I must be getting old. :) What's impossible to believe is that this was directed by Joel Schumacher, who directed the abysmal "Batman and Robin." It's really too bad he didn't stay with films about real people, because this film shines. This is a nearly lost, mostly forgotten gem of a film, and it is easy to recommend.

Laughed, cried, and have seen it again and again and AGAIN!!
This movie is exactly what I need when I'm ho-humming about what video to watch. It's worked every time. If you like 'Sliding Doors' and 'Sense&Sensibility' (two of my other favorites) try this, you'll probably enjoy it. There are lots of layers to this one too. Ted Danson does an incredible acting job, though it may take a repeat viewing to kick the habit of seeing him as "Sam." Isabella Rosellini personifies beauty (as always)and effectively portrays an unhappy but loyal-'til-the-end wife. And Lloyd Bridges is fantastic, cast as Danson's father. This film is all about extended families, and marriages, and the intertwined inner-workings of the two. Sean Young's outfits are a little cheesy, but fit her character. And at times the film is loudly representative of the 1980's. But it's largely a feel-good movie where what you want to have happen happens and what you don't want to have happen only happens a little.

Superb and sweet romance
This is one of those incredibly charming,disarmingly sweet, and totally touching comedic romances that you can watch over and over and over again- and still get that warm and fuzzy feeling inside.The plot is pretty typical, but the entire cast(Isabella and Ted have GREAT chemistry, the dialogue, and just the entire atmosphere of the thing make it work-big time.They just don't make too many romantic comedies like this anymore.Even if you hate the genre, but are just in the mood for something light, I definately recommend this sweet little gem!

Great Movie.
This is a great movie. Definitely one to own.

An absolutely lovely movie
I have watched this movie a dozen times, and I never tire of it. It is just a beautiful love story and Isabella R. and Ted Danson have wonderful chemistry. It is one of those movies where you laugh and cry and it leaves you feeling better for having seen it. The soundtrack alone is worth watching the movie. One of my all time favorites. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Wonderful, but also see the French film!
Three Men and a Baby is very good I really liked it a lot and thought that all the actors were great! It is about 3 bachelor friends, Jack, Peter and Michael sharing an apartment in New York, the character named Jack is a womanizer who sleeps around a lot and a baby girl namd Mary is left on the doorstep with a note from her mother Sylvia saying that Jack is the father and all three men who know absolutely nothing about babies have to take care of her. It is a wonderful movie and I highly recommend it, it's the American version of the French film Three Men and a Cradle which is also wonderful and I highly recommend that too, in that movie the guys are named Jacques, Pierre, and Michel, the baby is named Marie and the mother is named Sylvia, I saw that film both in French with English subtitles and Dubbed into English but I preferred it in it's original French with the English subtitles.

Three Men, a Baby and a Cardboard Cutout.
This isn't really my kind of movie, but it isn't bad for what it is - a light comedy. I watched the movie mainly because of the "ghost" controversy. The "ghost boy" and the "shotgun" are actually the same thing seen from different camera angles: the cardboard cutout figure of Ted Danson in a tuxedo. The cutout cardboard figure is shown later in the movie when Ted Danson is talking to the baby's mother in the same bedroom where the "ghost" appeared (note on the cardboard figure the contour of the line where the left side of the black tuxedo meets the white vest). I believe the cutout figure was moved from the window on the right where it was in the earlier scene so it could be shown with Ted Danson for dramatic effect. The light-hearted, show biz bachelor in tuxedo and top hat works nicely as an ironic contrast to Ted's real-life character agonizing over parental responsibility and the possible loss of his baby.

The controversial "ghost" scene opened with Ted's mom entering the apartment. The camera for this scene, located in Ted's bedroom follows Ted and his mother as they walk through the apartment and into the bedroom. They walk right in front of the camera as they enter through the bedroom door and the camera pans to the right as they approach the baby crib. This is when we see the "shotgun" which is actually the left side of the cardboard figure (the right edge line of the "shotgun" is identical to the line on the cardboard figure where the bunched up vest meets the left side of the tuxedo). The rest of the figure is hidden behind the curtain at this camera angle. When Ted and his mother approach the crib the camera man moves to the left towards the window side of the room (watch the background behind Ted's mother). When Ted and his mother, with baby, leave the bedroom the camera man is now in position to precede them out through the bedroom door. This is when we see the "ghost". In the begining of the scene the camera man was at the side of the door away from the windows. So, as he exits backwards through the door and closer to the windows the cardboard figure is seen at a more acute angle exposing more of the tuxedo figure behind the curtain. The sides of the cardboard figure are hidden by the curtains, but the triangular shape of the neck/shirt and the vertical right coat/vest line can be seen. Also, the white tie of the tuxedo cutout, although obscure, can also be identified. The "boy's" face looks fuller to some viewers because they see the top hat without the hidden brim as the "boy's" hair-covered head. The triangular white shape at the waist line is the bottom of one side of the white vest on the tuxedo figure.

Great Family Friendly Movie
Ah, the Eighties. The soundtrack of this movie alone brings a nostalgic tear to my eye. Okay, this movie didn't blow us away with its depiction of bachelorhood, but it did make me laugh, and what more can a person really want in a movie? Steve Guttenberg, Tom Selleck, and Ted Danson are the Three Muskateers Plus Baby. By the way, when compared to its sequel, Three Men and a Little Lady, this movie DOES look like a masterpiece. Good movie -- one you can certainly enjoy with your own little ones, and Grandma and Grandpa.

Fine Entertainment!!
This older film, dating back to 1987, was a sleeper hit and a real favorite when it came out. The cast of Tom Selleck, Steve Gutenberg,and Ted Danson was just fine, and the story line was terrific. Here we see three "professional men" having to deal with the realities of life- a baby- and the predicaments they have to deal with are realistic and not patronizing at all. Then to discover that Danson is the real "Daddy" brings an even greater element to the film.

I believe that this had to be one of Selleck's best movies, and the ensemble cast is excellent. A fine family film, and to watch and listen to the trio sing "Goodnight Sweetheart" is worth the price of the movie.

A baby lover's must
In 1987,when Tom Selleck and Ted Danson were on annual hiatus from their respective television shows,Magnum P.I. and Cheers,they filmed with Steve Guttenberg,this lovely comedy about sudden,reluctant babysitting. Just the previous year,Guttenberg filmed "Police Academy 4:Citizens On Patrol",his last sequel. BAD BOY,performed by Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine,is played during the opening credits. The babysitting starts one Sunday morning when Peter Mitchell(Selleck) returns from a jog to his apartment and finds a baby in a bassinet on the floor near the door. He calls his roommate Michael Kellam(Guttenberg),so he could take a look at the beautiful baby girl. Near her is a note from her mother written to the baby's father Jack Holden(Danson). Jack lives with Peter and Michael. Peter goes to the supermarket in his workout apparel to buy some baby food and diapers since the trio had none of their own. So Michael entertains Mary,the baby. After Jack,who's an actor,returns home from Turkey after filming a TV movie,he is strangled by Peter and Michael,mistaking him for a burglar. They are pissed at him for putting them through hell with the baby. Peter tells Jack,"We(himself and Michael) put our lives on hold taking care of this kid and now it's your turn." In another scene where Peter and Michael are shooting pool,Jack is having difficulty changing Mary's diaper("How do you put on these goddamn things anyway?")."Figure it out for yourself,d---head!",Peter answers. Things get back to normal when Mary's mother Sylvia(Nancy Travis) shows up at the trio's apartment to reclaim Mary. Sylvia planned to catch a flight to London,taking Mary with her. That didn't happen,realizing Sylvia would have been sorry eventually. So she returns to the trio's apartment. The trio themselves return to the apartment after they rode a cab to the airport from where Sylvia and Mary were gonna take off. The trio thought Sylvia and Mary had. Sylvia,who's an actress,complains to the trio that her hectic work schedule makes her not care enough for Mary. Peter,who's an architect,told Sylvia that he'd build one or two rooms for Sylvia and Mary,inviting them to the household. Jack told Peter and Michael in an earlier scene that Jack and Sylvia met while acting in a play. In the last scene,Peter,Jack,Sylvia and Michael are all pushing Mary in her stroller,with a long handlebar,accomodating four pairs of hands! This movie was released November 25,1987 and became a #1 blockbuster and remained in many theatres for 4 or 5 months. The success of this film spawned a sequel 3 years later entitled "Three Men and a Little Lady". ... Read more