Description

Conagher is both a hard-riding actioner and a character-driven look at Western life. Katharine Ross plays Evie Teale, widowed after coming West and forced to prove her mettle in many ways. Sam Elliott plays Conagher, a cowhand who, when not tracking rustlers, drifts in andout of Evie's life. Something about that frontier woman keeps drawing him back. But can Evie ever keep him from drifting out again? ... Read more

Reviews (21)

MR. AND MRS. ELLIOTT SHINE IN L'AMOUR CLASSIC
While Sam Elliott has become (along with, perhaps, Tom Selleck) the personification of the Louis L'Amour screen hero, it's especially nice in CONAGHER to see him opposite one of the first ladies of western cinema, Katherine Ross.It's especially nice when one remembers that Ms. Ross is also Mrs. Elliott in real life.

The two provide a power-packed performance in bring Louis L'Amour's classic western tale to life.CONAGHER is the story of an honorable cowhand who almost single-handedly takes on a gang of marauders bent on doing all the damage they can to everyone they meet. Yes, a classic battle of good against evil ensues but it's done sincerely and lacks some of the schmaltz that surfaces in similar western sagas.

Add to Elliott and Ross an all-star western cast including Dub and Buck Taylor, Barry Corbin and Ken Curtis and you have an enduring western classic.Great to finally have this one on DVD!

THE HORSEMAN

Top Notch Western!
Outside of the Duke's "Big Jake", Conagher is my favorite western as it is done right. The country is beautiful and Sam Elliot and his beautiful wife Katherine Ross made this movie out of deep respect for Louie L'Amour. This film captures the loney life of ranchers and cowboys in the old west. This is also the last picture that Ken Curtis (Festus from Gunsmoke) ever made.
As mentioned in another review, the line "It's a hard country kid" is probably THE classic line of all cowboy movies.

One strange thing concerning the ending though, in the book Conagher finds the remains of Mr. Teal, along with the gold he was taking to buy cattle, and on the outside of the Conagher VHS box there is a picture of Conagher looking at the bones of Mr. Teal, but this scene never made the movie? That would have give more closure but I guess it was cut to fit in to a TNT time slot.

Conagher-The Best
I happen to like all of Sam Elliott's movies, but this one is the best he has ever done!

Louis Alford

"You couldn't hurt Conagher with an axe."

Format: Color
Studio: Warner Home Video
Video Release Date: May 11, 1994

Cast:

Sam Elliott
Katherine Ross
Gavin O'Herlihy
Daniel Quinn
Barry Corbin
Ken Curtis
Cody Braun
Anndi McAfee

Conagher was written by Louis L'Amour (Lamoore) about life in the West around the end of the 19th century, with trouble with the Indians, rustlers, and a widow woman (Katherine Ross) tryimg to raise her children on a hard scrabble farm.Conagher comes to their aid.

L'Amour was a student of Western history.He understood the common man, having worked as a cowboy, circus roustabout, merchant seaman, boxer and served in the U.S.Navy.He was also a prolific writer of Western fiction, among other things.

This is not the first L'Amour story that Elliott has played in.He also performed as Tell Sackett in The Sacketts, which was an amalgamation of several of Louis's stories in that series on that family.

This story of Conagher was one of his good stories, which you will find typical of L'Amour's writing...good entertainment.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

A lover of Western American history
Only a few westerns have become true favorites of mine over the last 40 years. Conagher ranks with the best of them. Why? The movie was not filmed in a movie lot specially made for movies, like Universal Studios or Old Tucson. But rather, you could say it was filmed 'on location' in a rugged, true-to-life environment that honestly represents what it was really like in the Old West. The Teal cabin and the surrounding country, the ranch of Seaborn Tay, the town - all have that authentic realism that lend excellence to the movie. Often in the film the lighting in certain scenes appears lacking as compared to other films in the genre. But actually, this is what gives the film a special feel, a special ring of realism. It's because you feel as though you are really there as a bystander, watching this drama play out right in front of you in the same way it would appear in real life. The direction of the film by Rebaldo Villalobos is superb and the performances by the actors are absolutely memorable. The musical score couldn't have been better because the selections chosen for the soundtrack apply perfectly and leave an indelible impression on the viewer. I don't know what Sam Elliot would think about this, but I believe this film is his best, most memorable performance of his career, bar-none. His rendition of Conn Conagher imprints Sam Elliot on my mind for all time - he IS Conagher. I don't think he has played characters in any of his other films that have struck me the way that Conn Conagher has in this one. But this is not to detract from the other performers in the film: Catherine Ross, Gavin O'Herlihy, Daniel Quinn, Barry Corbin, Ken Curtis, Cody Braun, Anndi McAfee, and the rest - they've all portrayed believable characters that make for a very enjoyable, memorable film that you will want to watch again and again over the years because it brings something special to the heart. Don't pass up the opportunity to see Conagher if you haven't seen it yet - you'll never regret it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Robert Redford's underrated directorial follow-up to his Academy Award-winning Ordinary People, The Milagro Beanfield War is a loose and whimsical fable about community pride and social activism in the face of modern progress. Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman) plays a local mechanic in a small New Mexico town who takes up the challenge of rallying support for a local farmer who uses water owned by a real estate developer to grow beans in his field. Everything escalates to a showdown between the townspeople and the developers, with unexpected results. The strongest aspect of the film is the way it doesn't take itself too seriously, with Redford adopting a leisurely tone and allowing his fine cast (including Ruben Blades as the pragmatic town sheriff and Christopher Walken as a nasty state police officer) to deliver finely nuanced performances that touch on themes of faith and perseverance without seeming heavy-handed. The Milagro Beanfield War is an overlooked gem. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (36)

A real New Mexican comments
You can read in other reviews about the DVD quality, the excellent cinematography, and the passable acting (a bit over-acted on Sonia Bragga's part, but not as bad as in "moon Over Parador").Redford is also a good director.If you can choke down another socialist good-people-of-the-land versus greedy developer plot, this isn't a bad film.

Milagro in reality is Truchas, NM, a very old hardscrabble Spanish farm village between Chimayo and Penasco (that's in the real high country north of Santa Fe).Water rights are indeed sacred there and it is a delightful area if you don't mind a snowy winter and being a long way from a supermarket.or the new age nutballs coming in from Santa Fe.....

But it's not the edenic area the film makes it out.This would have been a way better film if the director and writer had admitted that the average folk in that area have really severe drug problems and aren't exactly high on smarts or initiative.

Nonetheless, a cute little film and a great look at my home asrea in glorious northern NM.

DVD should be splendid.
I received the UK DVD release of The Milagro Beanfield War several months ago and the digital transfer of this beautiful film is truly breathtaking-- the saturated colors, the wonderful New Mexico light. If the British DVD is any indication, viewers should be in for a very special treat. A great cast. A warm, whimsical slice of life which affectionately captures the wonderful essence of New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment. Not to be missed!!!

Overlooked for far too long
Others have summarized the plot below so I will try to add a few relevant thoughts.First of all, the story is basically a skim off the John Nichols novel.Like all his books, it is so deep in back story that no movie can contain more than a tithe of the actual narrative.This screenplay actually does it justice, though.The strength of the work is not the plot but the characters.In Nichols' novel, each character has such richness and depth, they become very much alive and real.Sadly, no movie can ever capture all of that, but I think Redford's efforts here managed to pick up enough of it to make the film work because the most important character in the film is the town of Milagro itself.By getting even a glimpse of such venerable old-timers as Amarante Cordova, Onofre Martinez, and Nick Rael's crazy mother, we understand much more of Milagro's personality.

Within the movie we get some very nice depth added to other characters, as well.Reuben Blades as Sheriff Bernabe Montoya, for example, is tripping over his feet jumping a ditch in one scene and using cunning wisdom to disarm a firefight in the next.Sonia Braga's passive-aggressive manipulation of John Heard's lawyer-activist is brilliantly played by both of them.James Gammon as Horsethief Shorty, the one Anglo who may love Milagro as much as the local Hispanics, is perfectly played, as well.

The film is beautifully photographed and Redford's love of the American Southwest is visually documented here with a very nice touch.The soundtrack also adds a lot of character to the piece and is very well placed.Finally, two small roles that I thought added a lot to the movie were Julie Carmen as Nancy Mondragon, Joe's wife, and also Freddy Fender as Milagro's mayor, Sammy Cantu.

Overall, this is one of those movies that isn't so much about what happens in the film as it is about how the director and the actors portray it, which in this case is done beautifully.

Great Film-Better News
Milagro is the classic good vs. evil/David vs. Goliath story but not as serious as most of the others. The little guy occasionally gets help from the strangest places-his own townfolk. This is a great family movie with minimal profanity.
Now the good news-thanks to all the letters to the distributor, this will be released in Region 1 DVD on or about may 31, 2005.
Horrayyy!!!!! for the little guy-you and I can make a difference.

A Former New Mexican
It's Christmas and two years since we left New Mexico.I wanted to order The Milagro Beanfield War for my husband for Christmas and was so sad to find it's not available on DVD.I was in Santa Fe for the premiere and saw Robert Redford strollng around the plaza.
It's a beautiful movie; full of humor, great characters and beautiful scenery.
We can't get green chile or our Christmas tamales here, but had hoped to feel New Mexico again by watching this movie.I hope to see it soon on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (317)

An absolutely first rate animated film.
It is a shame that Warner Brothers chose to give an uninspired prerelease publicity campaign to the gentle, joyous and original animated movie, The Iron Giant. Precious few saw it in theaters.
Thank God for film preservation in the form of DVD!

Like the book, the picture takes place in 1957, during the height of The Cold War. The Soviet Union's satellite, Sputnik, flies across American skies. Our country is filled with paranoia. What else may they have launched?

One stormy night off the coast of Maine, a huge object falls from the sky. A frightened sailor sees it and swears that it is a giant made of metal. The townsfolk chalk the tale off to the sailor's love of drink. A giant made of metal, indeed!

A night or so later, young Hogarth Hughes, whose Mom is working overtime at the local diner, gets mad when his TV starts acting up. He goes to the roof to check the antenna and finds it missing. He then notices huge footprints leading away from the house and into the woods. He grabs his deceased Dad's old army rifle and a flashlight and goes off in pursuit. He soon discovers that there is indeed a metal giant. In fact, he saves it when it bumps into some high voltage utility wires. The adventure has begun.

Rarely has a movie for children - or adults! - addressed the need to search for a peaceful solution to our problems as gently or as wisely as The Iron Giant. It never preaches and is always accessible. It does not address us from on high. It remains at our level. It also shows how clever we can be at overcoming the most unexpected obstacles. It reminds us that things alien to us are not always hostile to us. In fact, it is we who often initiate the hostilities. Perhaps best of all, The Iron Giant examines these and other issues in the guise of a wonderful story that should hold almost anyone's attention.

The animation is first-rate. Most of the voices are good, especially Harry Connick, Jr.'s as Dean Cooper, a hip young artist. As Hogath's voice, Eli Marienthal speaks like a real boy, not a cartoon boy. Speaking for Hogarth's mother, Annie, Jennifer Anniston gives her a loving quality. Vin Diesel does well with the most difficult voice, that of The Iron Giant.

Rated PG for a couple of spooky scenes and a few mild profanities. Recommended without reservation for children seven and up.

The Iron Giant has Landed
Vin Diesel and Jennifer Aniston lend their voices in the first-rate animated adventure "The Iron Giant". In the dawn of the Cold War, a curious New England boy discovers a gigantic metal-eating robot (voiced by Diesel) from another world. Their special friendship is put to the test when the boy must protect his new pal from an ambitious government agent and the US military. "The Iron Giant" is an amazing animated wonder that rivals Disney's best. From director Brad Bird ("The Simpsons"), the film combines a well-written story and some memorable characters. The talented voice cast also includes Eli Marenthal, Christopher McDonald, John Mahoney and Harry Connick Jr. as artistic scrap yard owner Dean McCoppin. The animation is colorful and quite enjoyable. The animated feature is presented in both 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and standard full screen formats. The DVD contains a detailed video transfer and a well-balanced 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Its supplemental extras include a delightful "Making of The Iron Giant" featurette and a music video. Despite a lack of supplemental extras, "The Iron Giant" earns a pleasing "B+".

It's about time.
Here's what we can expect with this true release of The Iron Giant:

-Anamorphic widescreen format with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.

-Eight never-before-seen additional scenes with introductions by Brad Bird, including an alternate opening sequence.

-13 mini documentaries revealing the origin and the in-depth development process of The Iron Giant.

-Interviews with creative consultant Teddy Newton on the storyboard sequence development process.

-The Voice Of The Giant: Brad Bird and Vin Diesel discuss voicing The Iron Giant.

-Scene-specific commentaries by filmmakers

-A motion gallery of original animation

-A letter from Ted Hughes, author of the original book upon which the film was based.

-DVD-ROM access to the original web site and Easter eggs revealing the behind-the-scenes filmmaking process.

The only thing I see wrong with this is the box/case. Click on the image here to see a larger version, and you'll see that it's the horrid snap cases. Oh well, at least the movie's getting the treatment it deserves. Pick this up when it comes out.

Now this is what we've been waiting for.
Here's what's going to be on this true edition of The Iron Giant:

-Eight never-before-seen additional scenes with introductions by Brad Bird, including an alternate opening sequence.

-13 mini documentaries revealing the origin and the in-depth development process of The Iron Giant.

-Interviews with creative consultant Teddy Newton on the storyboard sequence development process.

-The Voice Of The Giant: Brad Bird and Vin Diesel discuss voicing The Iron Giant.

-Scene-specific commentaries by filmmakers

-A motion gallery of original animation

-A letter from Ted Hughes, author of the original book upon which the film was based.

-DVD-ROM access to the original web site and "Easter eggs" revealing the behind-the-scenes filmmaking process.

This is the treatment the movie should've got in the first place.

ONE OF THE BEST ANIMATED MOVIES EVER MADE!
This is seriously one of the best animated movies I have ever seen. Unfortunatley it got poor advertising when the movie came out, and it cost the movie, which did very poor in the box office. But it came back in a big way with the DVD release. I cannot recommend this movie enough to people, and with director Brad Bird now directing the upcoming Pixar movie "The Incredibles," this DVD should do better. If you like a good story, and well done animation I highly suggest this movie for you! ... Read more

Reviews (45)

My favorite movie!
It's not a deep drama and it won't make you ask you any tough questions of yourself, but Major League is pure entertainment from beginning to end. As such, it's my all-time favorite movie. It's easy to invest in the story (a Cleveland team made up of spare parts tries to overcome their owner's plot to move the franchise) even if it's been dated by the Indians' '90s success. The comedy doesn't pull any punches but still stays pretty tasteful, and I still find it laugh-out-loud funny even after 30+ viewings. The comedy is equal parts outstanding writing by David S. Ward and brilliant characterizations by the actors. James Gammon is dead-on as grizzled manager Lou Brown and Tom Berenger is actually sympathetic as journeyman catcher Jake Taylor. Dennis Haysbert and Corbin Bernsen give great performances, and Charlie Sheen is inimitable as Wild Thing Vaughn. I think any baseball fan will enjoy this movie, but fans of good comedy will probably like it, too.

The DVD has no special features (what else do you expect from Paramount?), but the picture and sound are good.

Movie: 6/5
DVD: 4/5
Overall: 5/5

Major Fun
No, you're not going to walk away from this movie thinking about how to achieve world peace or end poverty, but you will be walking away with a smile. MAJOR LEAGUE is a lighthearted, entertaining film that also happens to be hysterically funny. Throw the great sport of baseball into the mix and MAJOR LEAGUE is a win/win for those who love the game and those who just want to have a good laugh.

There's nothing complicated about the plot. When an aggressive femme fatale (Margaret Whitton) inherits the Cleveland Indians from her late husband, her plan is to put together a team so bad it will lose its fan base and allow her to relocate. And so a band of misfits is put together: washed-up players, inexperienced players, headcases. Of course, predictably, her plan goes awry, but it's still good fun watching the antics of the Indians as they misfire and then come together over a long, long season.

Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Rene Russo, Corbin Bernsen, and Wesley Snipes headline a great cast. Bob Uecker is absolutely hysterical. My favorite character is manager Lou Brown (James Gammon) who delivers the film's funniest line, but one I dare not repeat here (it would never get past the editors)! Grab a hot dog and a beer, pull up a chair, and let MAJOR LEAGUE put a wide grin on your face.

Just a fun movie and I'm in it
This is more a nostalgia note than a review, but most of this movie was filmed over one summer in Milwaukee (maybe Cleveland wasn't blue-collar enough). All the baseball action scenes were filmed in County Stadium, which is now a big parking lot for Miller Park. The crew invited locals to the filming at the Stadium and other locations about town, so it has a lot of local flavor. I went to the filming of the big finale to be part of the "rabid" crowd so I'm in this move, kind of. It's fun to see Uecker do his stuff, and Pete Vukovich, a former Brewer pitcher, is perfect as Heywood, the Yankee nemesis.

People from out of town said County Stadium was a dog of a ballyard, but look for the scene when Berenger sneaks onto the field at night alone and pretends to hit one out. It sure looks pretty, and I miss it.

Cinema's gift to shower singing
Its always amazing to me how people take movies like this so seriously that they think their "astute" observations about plot predictability pass for intelligent bashing. It's a simple movie and it deserves a simple review.

As far as baseball comedies go, this is by far the best ever.

As far as baseball movies go, this is near the top of the list.

As far as Charlie Sheen appearances go, this was his one shot at Oscar gold.

As far as opening songs go, this is the best one of all time, in any movie about any city or any sport or anything.

There's a red moon rising
On the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake (x2)

There's an oil barge winding
Down the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake (x2)

Cleveland, city of light, city of magic
Cleveland, city of light, you're calling me
Cleveland, even now I can remember
'Cause the Cuyahoga River
Goes smokin' through my dreams

Burn on, big river, burn on
Burn on, big river, burn on

Now the Lord can make you tumble
The Lord can make you turn
The Lord can make you overflow
And the Lord can make you burn

Burn on, big river, burn on
Burn on, big river, burn on

Life Imititates Art
Years after this movie's release the Oakland A's defeated Red Sox in 12th inning with bases loaded bunt by catcher. That is what is so great about the movie...the baseball is grounded in realistic play and not artificial home runs as in the Natural.

Uecker and Gammons ( playing Manager Lou Brown) are terrific.
"Just a bit outside" is now the classic comment for a really bad pitch.

Some of the voodoo stuff is overdone, but it is a fun movie ... Read more

Amazon.com

The critical and popular success of the Lonesome Dove miniseries just about ensured a sequel or three. The first spinoff,Return to Lonesome Dove, was rushed out without author LarryMcMurtry's input, but Streets of Laredo, which McMurtry scripted from his own novel, returns us firmly to his brutal West. Legendary Texas Ranger Captain Woodrow Call (James Garner, who steps into the boots left by Tommy Lee Jones with comfortable assurance and understated courage) has turned bounty hunter, and he heads off on the bloody trail of vicious Mexican gunman Joey Garza (Alexis Cruz), a sadistic, angry south-of-the-border rebel without a cause. Lonesome Dove echoes through the story: Call's former trail hand Pea Eye Parker (Sam Shepard) is enlisted in his posse and Parker's wife, Lorena (Sissy Spacek in the role Diane Lane created in the original and the desert-worn soul of this story), follows in their wake with news that the psychopathic renegade Mox Mox (Kevin Conway), who once held her captive, is alive and back on the warpath.

McMurtry's Old West is not a pleasant place, and Streets of Laredo is not for the faint of heart. It's a lawless, racist, brutal world where might may not make right, but it certainly holds sway in isolated desert towns and lonely trails. Yet for all the tragedy and violence, McMurtry finds hope in the love and respect that breaks down racial barriers, holds families together, and creates new ones. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (27)

The Real Sequel to Lonesome Dove.
This is the real, Larry McMurtry written, sequel to Lonesome Dove (not Lonesome Dove II), and it has all of McMurtry's specialities: well-drawn characters, absolutely viscious and unredeemable villains & murderers, and complex protagonists with a hell of a tale to tell.

Tommy Lee Jones was the perfect physical embodiment of hard-bitten Texas Ranger Woodrow Call. A small man, ramrod straight with a ferocious temper and will of iron that made him SEEM like a bigger man. But TLJ didn't make this trip for whatever reason. Instead, we have James Garner taking over as Woodrow, and he IS a big man and inately likeable. No matter, Garner is too good an actor not to win you over, and we quickly adjust to him as an older, more tired, laconic, but still mean as hell Woodrow Call.

Peaeye is now Sam Shepard and Lorena is Sissy Spacek and she has passed by all her would-be suitors and married the taciturn Ranger, become a school teacher, and together they have 5 children. Peaeye is called out of domesticity by Woodrow to chase down a teenage psychopathic killer, Joey Garza, with a sidetrip to chase down another bad bad man named Mox Mox whose specialty is burning men, women, children & animals alive for the fun of it.

And so it begins, with much emphasis on character and wild "characters" and with a casual understanding of the hard lives and brutality of the Texas of that time.

If you liked Lonesome Dove, you will like this. The cast changes were made with excellent people stepping into the familiar roles, and you will soon accept them and be caught up in the story. If you didn't like Lonesome Dove, too bad for you, and you definitely will want to skip this.

Wasted potential
Although cast in the mighty shadow of Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo had the potential to be another great Western based upon Larry McMurtry's beloved series. Unfortunately, it failed to live up to that potential. While Lonesome Dove was a sprawling epic steeped in the mystique of the American frontier, Streets of Laredo is a crime drama. Instead of a cattle-drive across a thousand miles of harsh country, we get a hunt for a pre-pubescent brat with a taste for blood. That in itself could have made for some compelling film making if the pace wasn't so slow. There was also the failure of any of the faces from Lonesome Dove to return. This gives Streets of Laredo a disappointing lack of continuity.

No doubt the biggest disappointment was Tommy Lee Jones's failing to return to the role of Captain Woodrow F. Call. Although James Garner is talented, he is too sympathetic, too personable to be such a brooding loner. Shepard's Pea Eye is too smart, too, well, handsome. Cruz's portrayl of the murderous Garza was far too tame, too detached. Big mistake. Randy Quaid's John Wesley Hardin was interesting, but a total waste of film. There was no reason for him to be here. George Carlin was a surprise, one of the few bright moments. Also worth noting is that the sepia tones of Lonesome Dove have been replaced with rich, vibrant colors straight out of the Technicolor Westerns of yore. As far as the DVD itself: much less care was put into the making of this DVD than its predecessor. It's basically bare bones. That pretty much sums up the film itself.

WORTHY SEQUEL TO LONESOME DOVE
STREETS OF LAREDO has taken considerable heat for missing Tommy Lee Jones as Woodrow F. Call. Yes, the film would have benefited from a reprise by Mr. Jones in the role that he created but don't write it off because of that. There are aspects of this adaptation that are actually stronger than LONESOME DOVE.

After reading the book and watching STREETS OF LAREDO numerous times, I have to admit that, in his own right, James Garner does well as Captain Call, bringing his own enterpretation to the part and departing from most of the mannerisms that Jones brought to LONESOME DOVE.

Sam Shepard as Pea Eye Parker is a considerable improvement over Tim Scott, the original Pea Eye. I like Shepard's honest performance as a simple man rather than Scott's as a moron. Shepard's Pea Eye, while simple and slow is nonetheless tough and steady.

Sissy Spacek is terrific as Lorena (Wood) Parker. In fact I find that she fits the role far better than Diane Lane, the original Lorena from LONESOME DOVE and provides a tough and gritty performance as Mrs. Parker here.

Ned Beatty stars portrays the crochety, self-appointed Judge Roy Bean and Randy Quaid is darkly hilarious as the western outlaw John Wesley Hardin.

Other stars include Wes Studi as tracker Famous Shoes, George Carlin as Billy Williams and Sonja Braga as Maria Garza, a good woman trying to keep her world from coming apart while hoping to love her son-gone-bad back into the fold.

STREETS OF LAREDO is a great film. Don't miss it just because it lacks Tommy Lee Jones.

THE HORSEMAN

The Author's Finale
Not only is Larry McMurtry an excellent storyteller, but he's also somewhat of a literary genius. He could've written a sequel to Lonesome Dove that would've been satisfying and cliché, but he left that to Hollywood. I don't know if Streets of Laredo happened because of or in spite of the farce that is called, Return to Lonesome Dove, but Streets is definitely the better offering. McMurtry took the story in a completely different direction. In doing so, he cheated us out of certain things that we'd hoped for after finishing Lonesome Dove. There is no final conversation between Woodrow and Newt about Newt's heritage. The fate of July Johnson is a tragic and useless one. The Hatcreek Ranch in Montana goes bust and that's why Call becomes a bounty hunter. Those who enjoyed the book won't be disappointed in the film adaptation. Many have stated that James Garner's interpretation of Woodrow Call doesn't live up to that of Tommy Lee Jones and I cannot disagree. But Garner is a talented actor and he stayed true to McMurtry's character of Call. McMurtry wisely chose not to do "just another Lonesome Dove." Again, he left that to the shallower Hollywood crowd. While Lonesome Dove was a sweeping epic of a cattle drive, Streets of Laredo was simply the story of a chase to track down a young, brutal killer. McMurtry is a master of authentic dialogue and character development and he doesn't fail to deliver with his vast cast. Judge Roy Bean, Brookshire, John Wesley Harden, Billy Williams, Mox Mox and Famous Shoes all add to the texture of the movie. The most tragic figure is the long-suffering mother of Joey Garza, Maria, who defends her son in spite of his misdeeds. There are some details that are hard to swallow, such as the marriage of Lorena and Pea Eye, but the overall story still stands. This is certainly a darker offering than its predecessor considering that Gus supplied most of the mirth in Lonesome Dove. Still, it's worth watching for those who appreciate McMurtry's ability to tell a good story. The DVD is desolate when it comes to bonus material, but the sound and picture quality are far superior to the VHS version. It's also worth noting that the DVd version is uncut, offering scenes that do not appear in the VHS. No, Streets of Laredo does not live up to Lonesome Dove, but I don't think McMurtry meant for it to do so and the story stands on its own as a good one.

Stay away from this disgusting Western concoction!
Imagine taking the worst of the Spaghetti Westerns,
give it an illustrious cast (James Garner, Sam
Shepard, Sissy Spacek, and on and on) and pour
a heavy dose of gore, rape, and an endless stream
of meaningless sadistic violence: what do you end up
with? "Streets of Laredo"

The above excellent actors and actresses should feel ashamed
of being seen in this awful and disgusting concoction. There
are no discernible redeeming elements in this carnival of
gratuitious violence!

Even you "Lonesome Dove" fans should stay away from this one! ... Read more

Reviews (52)

remember drive-ins
Watching this movie at the drive in Pasadena the age of five or six and actually remembering it means somethings. That it was great movie. Now some...I hate to say it, twenty years later. I still think it great. Growing up in Pasadena, and Houston. I can relate to this move. I ain't being biased, I'm just being honest. This movie actually tells the truth about relationships instead of sugar coating it like all the rest the Hollywood chick-flicks try to do. Instead of all the teen love storis and the rich kid and and poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks dying to be with the rich kid. Nope, this movie is as realistic as Hollywood can manage. Sissy and Bud(that is his name...right?) I mean Travolta's character was a spoiled, wanna-be macho redneck but at the end he forgets all that and finds himself still in love Sissy. And yes there are fights in honky-tonks. Aren't there also fights in any other bar. Then again aren't all girls not just country girls trying to get there guy jealous by dancing with other guys at bars also. I hate it when anyone who is not from the south or southeast making fun of people from here. WE are not all stupid inbreeders with a an IQ and education of fifth grader. I am going to end this with saying that this was and still is a great film.

John Travolta is not a country boy!
Urban Cowboy is a tale of idiot hollywood actors trying to be cowboys and cowgirls. This movie reveals I think country people in a bad way. I am a cowboy and I don't even do half the things that these people do in this movie. The writers have revealed country people as real hard dirty sleezy rednecks who go to places like gilleys everynight get into drunk fights have no respect for women and go around having sex with every cowgirl in the place. Then you have John Travolta who ought to be arrested for even putting on a cowboy hat and wearing cowboy boots and wrangler jeans we are talking about the same idiot who played New Yorker in shows like Welcome Back Kotter and lived in Brooklyn and danced in discos in Saturday Night Fever. I don't why anyone casted that guy for the role. Then Debra Winger is not to bad for the role but her character is dismissed in the story as some dumb southern cowgirl who goes around doing it with any cowboy she can find. Then last but not least you have the trashy other friends and actors who all posess Rotten teeth, smoke considerable amounts of cigarettes, and are playing and immatating country cowboys as people with rotten teeth with a third grade intelligence. These actors no nothing about honky tonks and how they are and these actors all come from cities they don't even live in the country so why do they continually act like real morons throughout the movie. The music is another bad ticket in this flop some moron who knows nothing about country music picked the sorriest collection I have ever heard like someone else pointed out in there review its hollywood country music. The only good song they actually picked was Lookin for love by Johnny Lee and to top it off you only hear half of it. Well anyway it gets two stars because it does follow some sort of story line but man is this pathetic.

Poor social message, but still irrestible!
I read some of the other reviews, and it's interesting the reasons that this movie was praised. Basically this movie presents very poor social messages. I mean, it implies that domestic violence, physical fighting with peers, drinking lots, and having sex with people you don't even know just because your mad, is the cool thing to do. So again, I don't approve of the social messages.
On the other hand, if you are between 25-37 years old, you may have a fond place in your heart for this movie, as I do! The characters are attractive, and in the end, love wins out! You see, I love this movie, only because when I first saw it, I was at the age of wanting to find out who I was. And it did seem cool to be around family and friends, dancing, pushing life a little too far, etc. I also think it's one of John Travolta's best movies. He's handsome, strong, and likeable!

A cowboy's must
John Travolta,who became famous for his role of Vinnie Barbarino on the ABC sitcom "Welcome Back Kotter",had two prior megahit starring films,"Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease". In his third megahit,this film,he is Beauford Uan "Bud" Davis,an URBAN COWBOY who moves to Houston from Spur,a small Houston suburb. He lands a job at an oil refinery where his uncle Bob works. Debra Winger is Sissy,who Bud met at Gilley's,the real-life Pasadena,TX honky tonk. Bud and Sissy fall in love and get married at the hot nightspot. Scott Glenn is Wes Hightower,a paroled convict who steals Sissy's heart and keeps it while she and Bud are separated and nearly divorce. Madolyn Smith in her debut,at least on the big screen,is Pam who is Bud's girlfriend during the separation. Country singer Mickey Gilley owns the nightspot with Sherwood Cryer(both appear as themselves in the film). In addition to Gilley,country artists appearing in the film are Bonnie Raitt,Johnny Lee and The Charlie Daniels Band. All four artists have contributed to the soundtrack album. This film was directed by the late James Bridges,whose prior films include SEPTEMBER 30,1955 and THE CHINA SYNDROME. Bridges subsequently directed MIKE'S MURDER also starring Winger,PERFECT,also starring Travolta,and BRIGHT LIGHTS,BIG CITY starring Michael J. Fox. Sadly,Gilley's was burned down in 1989 by a kitchen fire and was later re-christened as Gilley's Mechanical Bull & Nightclub. Travolta would have no megahit films following this one until 1989's LOOK WHO'S TALKING. He won an Oscar for his role in 1994's PULP FICTION and is still going strong in Hollywood today.

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS
THIS IS A GOOD MOVIE I LOVE IT I ENJOY IT. IT WAS MADE HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE BAR WAS IN PASADENA@ THE FAMOUS MICKEY GILLEY'S BAR. I LIKE THIS MOVIE IT REPRESENTS TEXAS AND ALSO IT IS A GREAT LOVE STORY YOU CAN'T BUT FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS MOVIE. DEBRA WINGER AND JOHN TRAVOLTA REALLY DO SOME GREAT ACTING IN THIS MOVIE AND I LOVE IT. I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU TO BUY THIS MOVIE IF YOU ARE A FAN OF JOHN TRAVOLTA OR IF YOU LIKE LOVE STORIES YOU CANNOT GO WRONG BUYING THIS VIDEO. ... Read more

Description

Those diehard Cleveland Indians that went from worst to first in the hit original now cope with fame and its perks as the hangdog team tries to hit, hustle and joke its way back to the top. Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Corbin Bernsen star. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The Cleveland Gang is back
The first Major League movie was a good one but this is better. The Cuban Crusher Pedro Cerano, Rick "The Wild Thing" Vaughn, Willie Mayes Hayes, and newcomer Rude Baker are one fire. Rick comes to this season as a ... pretty boy pitcher who cares too much about injuring his arm that he can't even throw 90. Cerano comes back as a spiritual Budha and is so stupid now that he hits a bird with a baseball and runs in the outfield to save it's life while he gets tagged out... Willie comes back without the speed but has a lot more power and as a movie star with a leg injury. New-comer Rude Baker can't throw to the pitcher even though he's a catcher. See if they'll come back. Also a funny Japenese outfielder is added on who has spritual fights with Cerano.

They're back!
The Indians are back for another season. With several new players to the team, like a crazy japanese fielder, and a Playboy fanatic catcher, plus star pitcher, Rick Vaughn, has went clean cut and lost his powerful arm. Add to this with a host of other problems, the Indians are in for another struggling season of baseball. I liked this movie a lot, and it is my 2nd favorite of the trilogy of the Major League movies, with the original being my favorite.

The DVD menus look great, and easy to navigate. I was expecting loads of extras, but I didn't get much. All that is here is just a thing called "The Starting Line Up" which is pictures of all the movie's main actors on baseball cards. And a trailer for this movie, plus for 2 other movies also.

The hard luck Indians are back for another season
While this isn't the instant classic that the first MAJOR LEAGUE movie was, I actually like the sequel as well as the original.

The only thing really missing from the first film is Wesley Snipes as center fielder Willie Mays Hayes, but Omar Epps does a nice job in his place.

So what if you know that they're going to pull if off from the outset...it's all about the journey right?

Bob Uecker makes the film!

Really Funny Baseball Comedy
Some people would say it doesn't live up to the first one, but I think it does, and it may even be better.

The Clevelend Indians are back, and better than ever. Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn is trying to throw curveballs, Willie Mayes Hayes tries to become a power hitter, Pedro Sorano converts to Buddhism, and more. It has some really high points, and it kept me laughing.

My favorite are the Chinese guys who clean up the field after the games. They're really funny.

Overall, it's a great DVD for a great price. Buy it!

basically Major League
this movie is almost exactly the same as the first with some subtle differences it is funny though ... Read more

Description

Kevin Costner plays the most famous lawman ever to stride the Wild West.In a gritty, complex portrayal hailed as a "classic American performance" (Bob Campbell, Newhouse Newspapers), Academy Award winner Costner (Dances with Wolves, The Bodyguard) plays the man who became a myth in acclaimed director Lawrence Kasdan's (The Big Chill, Silverado) epic, action-filled saga.Gene Hackman, an Oscar winner for Unforgiven, as Wyatt's iron-willed father, and Dennis Quaid (The Big Easy, The Right Stuff) as Earp's deadly best friend Doc Holliday add power to this mammoth, hard-hitting Western.From Wichita to Dodge City to the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, Wyatt Earp is a thrilling journey of romance, adventure and desperate, heroic action. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Wyatt Earp was a Man
A lot of people forget that Wyatt Earp was a real man who had more courage and integrity then most people you will ever know. This movie is a pretty accurate portrayl of that man. Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid (Doc Holliday) do a superb job, although the supporting cast has a lot to be desired. This movie differs from the movie "Tombstone", in that it portrays a lot of Wyatt's life from being a teenager during the Civil War to his and Josie's adventure to the Alaskan gold fields near the turn of the century. "Tombstone" deals primarily with the happenings in Wyatt's life in that one town, which ironically dealt with less than 2 years of his long adventurous life. I liked this film because it dealt with an approximate 35 year time span of Wyatt's life, and the movie is long enough to dipict this. There are a lot of historical accuracies in the movie which include proper representations of places and dialogue such as what is said on the way to and during the gunfight. The inaccuracies are easily overlooked such as Virgil being shot in the wrong arm and the reference to "Johnny behind the duece" as "Tommy." All in all though, a good film about the life of a great man, Wyatt Earp.

BUY THIS DVD!
At last Warner Bros. has seen fit to release Kasdan's masterpiece on DVD. Sadly and inexplicably this movie was overlooked at the time of it's release. This superbly written,beautifully played piece is the definitive account of the life of a western archetype achieving everything that previous Earp accounts have failed to with the possible exception of Hour Of The Gun. Avoiding the ludicrous romanticism of My Darling Clementine, or the appaulingly laughable Lancaster/Douglas fiasco, Gunfight At OK Corral, Kasdan's portrayal presents these characters as the contradictory individuals they undoubtedly were and the actors and actresses do a tremendous job of bringing them to life. Costner is utterly believable as a complex man who, influenced by his father's belief in the family unit, almost destroys the very family he is trying to protect. We see him go from an idealistic young man to becoming a resolute, serious individual as a result of circumstances often beyond his control which serve to form his hardened personality and tunnel vision. Dennis Quaid is superb as Doc Holliday and presents a real person rather than Val Kilmer's amusing charicature in the over rated t.v movie-quality Tombstone. JoBeth Williams, Catherine O'Hara and Isabella Rosselini are great in their portrayals of the role of women in the west. Each of the actresses in this movie portrays a distinctly different character never resorting to cookie-cutter characterisations but the one thing they all have in common is, true to the period, women were expected to be supportive but not to have minds of their own; No revisionist western this.
Technically the movie looks and sounds great. Kasdan creates a visual style without being heavy handed and we are presented with a west in various stages of development from shanty towns to the developing, lawless Dodge City and Tombstone where law and order are trying to take hold even when the "law" is being enforced in a very subjective manner, again there is a lot of gray in this movie.
Finally I have to praise James Newton Howard for his wonderful score which, if it were isolated on the DVD would make this a 6 star release.
Apparently deleted scenes are being included on a second disc. An expanded lazer disc was released some years ago which restored this footage to the film, adding even more depth to the characters and as a result an even better movie.
Please buy this movie and, in doing so, encourage Warner's to release the expanded version in the near future. You will not be disappointed.

Western Classic
No doubt this movie is a western classic. I saw it years ago and loved it. I don't have anything negative to say about the movie itself. I almost picked up this 2 disc set until I learned it's a cut down or edited version. Why is the complete 212 min version only available on VHS ? That's just stupid. This is a great movie worthy of a director's cut edition maybe 3 disc set? I'd spend the extra cash on a deeper edition, until then I'll save my money. Please, please release the FULL version on DVD!

I'm very disappointed-why not the Director's Cut on DVD??
I was actually planning to but Wyatt Earp on DVD, but as I already have the Director's Cut on VHS video, I'll wait until the release of it on DVD. I believed this would be the "definitive" video release of Wyatt Earp. I'm quite disappointed!! I would rather have had the complete film on DVD than all of the extras!! Five-stars for the film, one-star for the short-sightedness of this DVD's content!! This is just as puzzling as why the restored version of John Wayne's The Alamo is not on DVD yet, either.

Typical Costner - long drawn out epic!
While the story was great and gave some interesting, perhaps unknown insight to the character of Wyatt Earp (did you know he was married and lost his wife to Typhoid? I didn't!) the movie was a very long, slow, drawn out epic like most of Costner's films. While Dennis Quaid portrayed a believable Doc Holliday, his performance was paled by the superior, more entertaining version by Val Kilmer in "Tombstone". In either movie it was almost unbelievable that the character was played by Dennis Quaid and Val Kilmer respectively (although Val Kilmer was more recognizable), I think both versions of Doc Holliday outshined the portrayal of Wyatt Earp in either movie. While still a good Western for this century, I would not rate this one higher than 3 stars because it was too long and drawn out. 3+ hours is just too long to sit through for something that could have been accomplished successfully in maybe 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
The rating age only goes up to 12, I'm actually 40 years old - LOL ... Read more

Reviews (239)

Almost
Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, Cold Mountain is mostly a story about both the kindness and the cruelty of ordinary people during difficult times.

It's also a love story.

Unfortunately, at least for this reviewer, I felt that the budding relationship between Inman (Jude Law) and Ada (Nicole Kidman) wasn't developed enough. Although they flirt and share a special kiss before Inman leaves for war, there just didn't seem to be enough of a bond between them for someone to risk their life returning home. (Perhaps this aspect of the film will be fleshed out more in an extended DVD version?)

Honestly, even at 2 1/2 hours, I felt like this epic film could have been a half an hour longer. There were plenty of interesting characters who deserved more screen time.

Up and coming actress Natalie Portman (Star Wars: Attack of the Clones) finally breaks out with an incredible performance as a single mother with a baby just trying to get by through the ravages of war. Even though her part was small, she still managed to convey the utter despair of her very sad character.

Cinematically, this film is breathtaking. In fact, the filmmakers have managed to painstakingly recreate the 1864 siege at Petersburg, Virginia complete with trenches, gaunt Confederates and even the Battle of the Crater. As far as I know, I don't believe this particular battle has ever been depicted in a major motion picture. As such, it was well researched and very authentic.

All in all, Cold Mountain is a good film. However, I believe it missed the mark of greatness by not developing the relationship early on between the two main characters. This detracted a bit from the aspect of Inman's long and perilous journey home. Was she really worth all of that?

In sum, if you're a fan of period Civil War movies like "Summersby" or "Ride With the Devil", then this film is certainly one for your DVD library.

Emotionally Cold Mountain
This story of one man's walk from Virginia to North Carolina in his attempt to return to the love that motivates him has - unsurprisingly - a somewhat rambling form. Somehow I think the rambling and episodic structure was probably better suited to a novel than to a mainstream Hollywood film.

In part "Cold Mountain" is based on Homer's Odyssey, with Jude Law as the Ulysses-like Inman, and Nicole Kidman's Ada Monroe as the Penelope who waits for him despite the attention of at least one highly unsuitable suitor.

The film's set before and during the American Civil War, and begins with a devastating battle in Petersburg, Virginia. Troops from the Northern Army mine the Southern front line. The resulting explosions demolish it to great effect, but all doesn't go according to plan, as the advancing Northern soldiers are caught in the crater made by their own explosions ... and mown down. That scene is writer / director Anthony Minghella's version of "Saving Private Ryan's" opening scene, and very much shows us that the movie isn't going to be about the glories of war.

"Cold Mountain" gets off to an excellent start, inter-cutting gritty battle scenes with Inman's memories of Ada, the woman he loves, and with whom he's shared little more than one hurried kiss. Ada is the daughter of Reverend Monroe, played by Donald Sutherland, and has received a fairly good education in Charleston. That means she hasn't learned how to do much of anything practical.

Inman, after suffering a bad neck wound, decides he is going to return to Ada whatever the cost, deserts the army, and begins his long trek back to North Carolina and Cold Mountain. Ada meanwhile is having to cope with the death of her father, the difficulty of surviving as a single woman, and the attentions of lecherous bad guy and home guardsman Teague, played by Ray Winstone. Her neighbours, including Sally Swanger (the excellent Kathy Baker) try to help her, but it becomes pretty clear she's not going to make it through the next winter without help, and that help turns up in the shape of the extremely practical and down to earth backwoods girl Ruby Thewes (Rene Zellwegger)

Although the film starts superbly, it gradually becomes disappointing. The grittiness of the beginning gives way to ever more Hollywood glamour as the movie goes on, particularly in the story of Kidman's Ada. Kidman gets prettier and prettier as times get harder and harder. Zellwegger comes on like Doris Day in "Annie Get Your Gun" or something out of "Oklahoma", and adds scrunched up funny faces to the mix. And the bad guys back at home turn into cardboard villains that might almost come from a spaghetti western, particularly the almost albino Bosie (Charlie Hunnam). And why are albinos always evil in movies?

Inman's story fares somewhat better. During his trek he encounters a variety of picaresque characters. There's a preacher (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) who is initially about to murder his pregnant black mistress when Inman stops him. Jena Malone plays a girl who operates a ferry boat that will allow them to escape their pursuers, if they pay her enough. Giovanni Ribisi is hillbilly Junior, who in another nod to the Odyssey, lives with a bevy of sex-starved siren-like women. Natalie Portman is Sara, a single mother who Inman sleeps beside and then has to rescue from the attention of marauding Southern soldiers. And there's a strange gipsy woman who - particularly given that much of the movie was shot in Romania - seems rather like a refugee from one of the old universal werewolf movies.

John Seale's cinematography captures the din of war, the stunning scenery of Romania, and the quieter interiors, well. And, visually the film is helped much by the production design of Dante Ferretti, although I wonder if sometimes that too isn't a little too pretty. There's some good music, although the best of it is performed within the film, old American hymns, and folk music such as "Wayfaring Stranger". There's even a song composed by Sting and sung by Alison Krauss, which works better than one might expect it to. Gabriel Yared's more thematic soundtrack music seems rather less memorable.

Ultimately, "Cold Mountain" is marred by several weaknesses, one of the worst is that in its conclusion it's something of a shaggy dog story. It also suffers, like some of Minghella's other films, from a strange emotional coldness: neither Jude Law nor Nicole Kidman touches us as much as they should. Often the emotions surrounding the cameo characters are far more intense, particularly those played by Nathalie Portman and Kathie Baker.

But this is nothing new for Minghella. In both "The English Patient" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" you wanted to feel somewhat more emotional about the characters than you actually did. In his first film "Truly, Madly Deeply" director Anthony Minghella struck a wonderfully poignant emotional note. With the move to Hollywood his films to have become much more focussed on about surfaces or spectacle, and that's a pity.

Like "Legends of the Fall" Cold Mountain" is ultimately an attempt to transform a sweeping and often gritty historical novel into a movie that's just far more glamorous than it should be for its own good. It's an interesting movie, but not a wholly successful one.

A waste of time
I absolutely hated this movie. Nicole Kidman is too old to play such a young character. The story started depressing and ended suicidal! I actually bought this dvd and after I watched it one time, I threw it in the trash. The only good thing about it was Renee Z's excellent rendition of a tough country girl. Only watch this movie if you like self-punishment.

Moving
Cold Mountain is a very good movie. The only problems I have with the movie is it takes so long to get into (but once you do it's so worth it) and the fact that they barely met and were already madley in love!

As a previous reviewer mentioned there is a very explicit love scene. It is my opinion that the love scene is so very important to the movie. You almost feel the love between the two. The movie would not have made such an impact on me without this scene.

Violence, OK but sex bad?
so it is OK to see people maimed and killed in horrible ways, but if two people have sex it is bad? Give me a break. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Great movie, really, but...
Ok, the first time I saw this film was in the 93 or something like that and I thought it was an ok movie but nothing else... then in the 2000 I was in my home and remembered of that movie I saw one day, so I started to look into the tapes collection in my home 'til I found it, played it and actually saw the film carefully. All I can say is that Anthony Quinn played on of the most emotional roles of his career on this one; al the same time, Mrs. Stowe and Kevin Costner gives us on this movie two excellents pieces of acting, 'cause the deep and the honestly on the characters it's the best, it seems like they were actually in love and tryind desperately to find each other.
The only bad thing it's that some scenes are too much slow, it's like the movie begin actually when Tibey (Quinn's character) do his revenge against Costner and Stowe. But, the bottom line is that this movie it's really worth seeing, and don't deserves all the BS that critics told about it.
Give the movie a chance, you'll find satisfied with it at the end.

The last five minutes are the best
Unlike most of Kevin Costner's other movies, Revenge demonstrates that he can truly touch audiences with authentic emotional output. The final five minutes of this movie are so genuinely real, so demonstrative of redemption and despair, that one wonders why Costner can't reproduce this in some of his other movies. Maybe it's the musical score (which, depressingly, was never made into a soundtrack). Perhaps it's Stowe's final "I love you," or perhaps it's the look on Costner's face while he holds her lifeless body in his arms. All I know is, I've rarely beheld such an emotional scene in any other movie. Yes, the movie is violent. But the violence is not senseless. It has purpose, and demonstrates the danger of crossing the barriers of fidelity.

One other scene stands out in my mind. When Costner and Stowe try to make lemonade in his bungalow, the sexual tension is unbelievably real.

One of my all-time favorite movies.

Noctem's review plagiarizes Roger Ebert
The "spotlight review" of the DVD of the movie "Revenge" by reviewer "Noctem" makes liberal use of professional critic Roger Ebert's review of the same film, going so far as to co-opt an entire paragraph unchanged, as follows:

Ebert's review can be viewed at the Chicago Sun-Times website.

By "Noctem" (paragraph 1)
Anthony Quinn is a powerful, brutal millionaire who rules his own private empire. He's surrounded by henchmen, but he lowers his guard to allow a friend into his inner circle - a former Navy pilot (Kevin Costner) who once saved his life on a hunting trip. Costner knows that Quinn has an unsavory reputation, but he doesn't plan to get involved in Quinn's business. He's only on vacation. That's before he sees Quinn's young wife, played by the *beautiful* Madeleine Stowe. Costner and Stowe fall in love at first sight, while Costner makes himself at home in Quinn's sprawling hacienda and goes on a hunting trip with him

By Roger Ebert (paragraph 3-4)

"Revenge" is set mostly in today's Mexico, where Anthony Quinn is a powerful, brutal millionaire who rules his own private empire. He's surrounded by killers and henchmen, but he lowers his guard to allow a friend into his inner circle - a former Navy pilot (Kevin Costner) who once saved his life on a hunting trip. Costner knows that Quinn has an unsavory reputation, but he doesn't plan to get involved in Quinn's business. He's only on vacation."

That's before he sees Quinn's young wife, played by the beautiful Madeleine Stowe, first seen in a voyeuristic camera shot that starts at her ankles and climbs hand over hand up every wrinkle of her dress. Costner and Stowe fall in love at first sight, while Costner makes himself at home in Quinn's sprawling hacienda and goes on a hunting trip with him."

How monumentally lame.

Fairly solid action/revenge film
Revenge is exactly what it's title implies, and like the act the film is named after, it certainly isn't pretty. Kevin Costner plays a US Navy pilot who is the friend of an extremely wealthy Mexican millionaire (Anthony Quinn). While staying at Quinn's, Costner ends up having an affair with Quinn's wife (Madeline Stowe) and soon (naturally) Quinn finds out and seeks retribution by having Costner beaten and left for dead, and Stowe tortured and made into a junkie prostitute. Sounds like a movie for the whole family eh? Director Tony Scott (The Hunger, Top Gun) shows us all the gritty detail that he is known for, and like I said earlier, Revenge is not a pretty film. It is very violent (almost over the top like Scott's next film True Romance) and sometimes hard to watch, but besides all that Revenge is a fairly solid action film with a standout performance from the late Anthony Quinn. All in all, action fans or fans of Kevin Costner (hello? anybody?) should give this a look.

Opinion on Revenge
This is one of my favorite Kostner movies. It is a grisly tale, but interesting and suspenseful. It contains Kostner's hottest love scenes to date (I haven't seen Open Range yet).
The weakness of this movie is the directing...very uneven. But it didn't spoil the movie for me. It is great. A friend of mine said when she saw it that it made her want to go out and buy a jeep. Those who have seen it will understand. ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Sayles tackles one of his most provocative projects in Silver City, a broadside on politics and campaigning. It's one of Sayles's multi-character tapestries, set during a tarnished governor's race in Colorado. Chris Cooper has kicky fun as a feather-brained candidate, whose nonsensical speeches deliberately evoke the 43rd U.S. president. He doesn't get nearly enough screen time, because the film follows a burned-out private detective (the awkward Danny Huston) as he tugs at conspiracies. Sayles's understanding of the connected relationships in the political world is keen, and his malignant ending scores points--though the issues are more convincing than the characters. A subplot romance between Huston and journalist Maria Bello is tired, and there's a rushed quality that undercuts the political barbs. The crowded cast helps it perk along. This is a companion piece to Sayles's City of Hope and Sunshine State, and proves his teeth are only getting sharper. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (51)

themes counter mediocre acting to produce excellence
Since most of the people submitting reviews here are wrestlers, ex-wrestlers, or are associated with wrestling, it is very easy to have a biased point of view towards this movie. While some people critique the screenplay or acting, those that enjoy it are looking past the acting and into the theme of the movie.

After reading the book, it becomes evident that the movie is quite different. While the book focuses on growing up ("coming of age") and life, the movie focuses more on the wrestling aspect, obviously to appeal to the masses. I'd say the book was more award-winning material, while the movie was more inspirational. Wrestling, although a big part of Louden Swain's life, was not as overpowering in the book. The book was not about wrestling per se, but about life and growing up. The movie concentrated on the wrestling aspect more which makes it an excellent motivator. Despite the sometimes mediocre screenplay, this movie is a classic to wrestlers because it shows that the human spirit will overcome all. It accurately portrays the blood, guts, and tears that accompany an athlete involved in the sport. As another reviewer commented, the "Rocky" for wrestlers. A definite recommendation to all wrestlers.

good movie, bad DVD
I'm really hoping that they re-release this movie soon. In terms of the Rocky-esque movies, this is one of the better ones. I liked it even better the second time around because I noticed just how realistic Modine's performance is not only as a wrestler, but also as a highschooler.

The problem with the DVD is that (1) the transfer is positively awful, (2)it's standard as opposed to widescreen (not a big issue in this case), and (3) there are no features. The main problem, of course, is with the quality of the transfer, which probably looks better on some VHS versions of the film.

Re-release this into a more non-hurried DVD format and this rating will go from 3 stars to at least 4.

"You ever hear of Pele?"
There are a lot of reasons to love this movie - It's a great coming of age tale, a solid 80's high school film - and all the reasons that other reviewers have already shared... but it stands out, in my opinion, for providing the most elegant argument for why we as a society love sports and athletes Towards the end of the movie one of the charachters gives a little pep talk about watching Pele play soccer... "and I tell you I started crying... yeah that's right I started cryin..."

Vision Quest
I absolutely love this movie, despite the wrestling. This movie isn't only about wrestling, it's about coming of age, and the human spirit.

DVD version is much better than VHS
I have looked at some of the reviews on the suggested
bad quality of the picture of the DVD version, but I
feel this current full-screen DVD version of Vision
Quest is still very good and a heck of a lot better than my
VHS store bought version. Yes, a wide-screen and special
edition DVD packed with features and with some restoration
of the original film would be great, but this DVD version
will do until then. Also, for those people who do want
a choice of having the full-screen format you may want to
buy this DVD now because if Vision Quest is ever released
in a new special edition it may be released in wide-screen
only format so this full-screen version may be hard to get
at some point in the future. ... Read more

Amazon.com

American Indians were a "cool" factor in 1970 cinema, the year A ManCalled Horse made its vigorous, feverishly real, and occasionally shockingdebut alongside Little Big Man and Soldier Blue. Unlike the lattertwo films, however, Horse is less an allegory for Vietnam-era America andmore of a vision quest for historical identity. In one of his defining roles,Richard Harris plays an English aristocrat captured by Dakota Sioux in 1825.Over time, he adopts their way of life and eventually becomes tribal leader--butnot before undergoing savage initiation rituals, the most famous of whichinvolves being suspended by blades inserted beneath Harris's pectoral muscles.Horse looks clunky, quaint, and inadvertently demeaning in some respectstoday, but the film's Native American milieu is at least defined on its ownterms, i.e., whole cloth and apart from familiar Western conventions. The realdraw is Harris, whose performance has a soulful integrity. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A Man Called Horse
Richard Harris' fine performance as an English lord captured by the Sioux Indians and indoctrinated in their ways of life is as good a reason as any to see this well-made western. Set in the Dakota territory of the 1800s, but filmed in the mountains near Durango, Mexico, A MAN CALLED HORSE is effectively directed by Elliot Silverstein (CAT BALLOU), and gives us a whole new view of the Indians way of life. The movie also features appearances by the legendary Iron Eyes Cody and veteran Peckinpah character actor Dub Taylor.

Warning: Despite the 'PG' rating, there are scenes of violence and bloodshed that make it questionable viewing for children; these days, it might get a 'PG-13' rating for such content.

A white man becomes Indian chief? Give me a break!
This 1970 film stars Richard Harris as an English Lord in the American West in 1825. He is captured by the Sioux Indians where he is first humiliated, but learns the Indian way of life, participates in a painful ritual, finds love and teaches the Indians a thing or two about war. Ridiculous! First of all, let's look at the cast. In addition to Richard Harris there's Dame Judith Anderson from Australia, cast as Buffalo Cow; Corinna Tsopei, a former Miss Universe from Greece, cast as Running Deer; Manu Tupou, a Polynesian from the Fiji Islands cast as Yellow Hand.

It's true the cast speaks in an Indian language but I wonder if that's just to cover up all their different accents. And even though there is a note at the beginning of the movie that the ritual has been well researched, it is doubtful that any white man ever had this honor, which is played with all its gruesome reality with the intent to shock. I can't believe that a white man would ever become chief either. This was supposed to be a groundbreaking film in 1970 because it depicted life inside the Indian camp, which I assume was based on historical research. But the lead was still played by a white man and the entire story is seen through his eyes. And thr emphasis was placed on the Indians' cruelty. This is unacceptable to my sensibilities even though the film did hold my interest, the cinematography was good and I learned a few details about Indian life. Richard Harris is a good actor and the rest of the cast did the best they could with the material given them. But I cannot recommend this video.

Maybe someday they'll be a good film about Native Americans. This isn't it!

One of the most powerful westerns ever made!
Elliot Silverstein got a hit with this film . The script turns around a white man kidnapped by the Sioux , will be the spark for that movie , Richard Harris made one of the finest performances in his career. Superb landscapes and dazzling direction.
Unforgettable!

Don't Believe Everything You Read About This Film
RE: A note to those confused about "white" men becoming Indian chiefs . . . so frustrating it is when some people criticize that which they clearly know nothing of.

The following is from the back cover of a book depicting a true story. The book is called BLUE JACKET by Allan W. Eckert, Landfall Press, Inc., Dayton, Ohio, Copyright 1969 by Allan W. Eckert:

"In the year 1771, a white boy named Marmaduke Van Swearingen was captured by Shawnee Indians in what is now West Virginia but was then the edge of the American frontier. Impressed with his bravery, he was not killed but instead was taken to Ohio where he was adopted into the tribe and given the name Blue Jacket, from the blue shirt he was wearing at the time of his capture. The boy grew to excel as a warrior and leader and became the only white to be made war cheif of the Shawnee."

So famous is this story that every summer in Xenia, Ohio, very near where many of the noteworthy historical exents depicted in this book actually took place, the story of BLUE JACKET is performed live on stage in an ampitheatre in the form of classic outdoor drama.

Good people, don't allow the ignorance of others to mislead you into their conclusions. Indeed, this film is highly entertaining whether it is well-researched or not; and it does stand upon its own merit against the test of time whether or not some people who write negative rewiews of this film have well-researched this film and the validity of its subject matter or not. My opinion is to hand controversy over to the controversial; and instead allow for the art of filmmaking to color your own, personal take on this movie as you experience this film and all it means to you instead of what it means to others; for far more colorful and enjoyable this film will be when taken in the context in which it was clearly intended to be, and that is the study of a man who is desperately struggling to uncover his own personal values, and then discover what to do with them. Richard Harris delivers a soulful and well-rounded performance that, if missed, would surely be unfortunate. Yes indeed, five stars for A MAN CALLED HORSE.

4 stars ONLY for entertainment
I give this move 4 stars only for it's entertainment value/action/adventure, NOT for any degree of alleged historical accuracy, nor was it a "true depiction" of the Sioux Indians. Everything about that was made "hollywood", such as the ritual, which was not accurately depicted either. (I laugh at any of these reviews which attempt to dwell on the reviewers mistaken belief this movie's historical accuracy was anything less than a half-a$$ hollywood depiction to make $$$). That said, I enjoyed the drama, suspense and action this fictional account offered. Harris was great, and some of the Indian characters (minus their slaughtering of the language) was up there as well. Have not seen the sequel..... ... Read more

Description

Disney's legendary group comes alive as The Country Bearsstar in their first feature film. Chronicling one of the mostheartwarming family adventures ever, The Country Bearsis packed withhilarious comedy, fantastic fun, and foot-stomping music for the wholefamily. For Beary Barrington, The Country Bears' young #1 fan, fittingin with his all-too-human family is proving im-paws-ible. When he runsaway to find Country Bear Hall and his heroes, he discovers the venuethat made them famous is near foreclosure. Beary hightails it over theriver and through the woods to get the Bears in the Band back togetherfor an all-out reunion concert to save Country Bear Hall. And on the wayto find his place in the world, Beary learns that true families are madeup of those people who love you the most! ... Read more

Reviews (31)