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If you were to argue that Mel Brooks's Young Frankenstein ranks among the top-ten funniest movies of all time, nobody could reasonably dispute the claim. Spoofing classic horror in the way that Brooks's previous film Blazing Saddles sent up classic Westerns, the movie is both a loving tribute and a raucous, irreverent parody of Universal's classic horror films Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Filming in glorious black and white, Brooks re-created the Frankenstein laboratory using the same equipment from the original Frankenstein (courtesy of designer Kenneth Strickfaden), and this loving attention to physical and stylistic detail creates a solid foundation for nonstop comedy. The story, of course, involves Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) and his effort to resume experiments in re-animation pioneered by his late father. (He's got some help, since dad left behind a book titled How I Did It.) Assisting him is the hapless hunchback Igor (Marty Feldman) and the buxom but none-too-bright maiden Inga (Teri Garr), and when Frankenstein succeeds in creating his monster (Peter Boyle), the stage is set for an outrageous revision of the Frankenstein legend. With comedy highlights too numerous to mention, Brooks guides his brilliant cast (also including Cloris Leachman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, and Gene Hackman in a classic cameo role) through scene after scene of inspired hilarity. Indeed, Young Frankenstein is a charmed film, nothing less than a comedy classic, representing the finest work from everyone involved. Not one joke has lost its payoff, and none of the countless gags have lost their zany appeal. From a career that includes some of the best comedies ever made, this is the film for which Mel Brooks will be most fondly remembered. Befitting a classic, the Special Edition DVD includes audio commentary by Mel Brooks, a "making of" documentary, interviews with the cast, hilarious bloopers and outtakes, and the original theatrical trailers. No video library should be without a copy of Young Frankenstein. And just remember--that's Fronkensteen. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (219)

I have a "hunch" you'll love this!
Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) wants nothing more than his job teaching biology at the university, the love of his life Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn), and to put behind him the legacy of his grandfather, the infamous Baron Viktor von Frankenstein. He never planned on inheriting his ancestral castle complete with assistants (Marty Feldman, Terri Garr, Cloris Leachman). He never planned on finding his grandfather's notes . He didn't plan to reanimate a corpse (Peter Boyle) with an abnormal brain. And he certainly didn't plan for said corpse to get loose...

Put that way, this hardly sounds like a comedy at all. Ah, but Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks, like Dr. Frankenstein, have deftly grafted inspired lunacy to a touching and solid story and given their creation life. Wordplay, slapstick, innuedno, sight gags and cinema's most memorable musical scene combine in a hilarious brew. Yet it is the original core, the story of the deformed oucast and the creator who ultimately redeem each other, that keeps it all from simply being vaudeville. Peter and Gene are fabulous at being silly and sincere simultaneously.

On to the extras! The trailers and production stills are nice, standard fare. The outakes are little disappointing. Several of the clips are close-up shots of a single performer, the camera never moving, so we hear the cast and crew cracking up, but don't always understand why. Some of the deleted scenes were pretty funny, and a shame they didn't make it into the final cut. The making of documentary interviews several of the key figures and does a good job of exposing what exactly it took to make the film. (Note to techno-geeks: not much detail on special effects, if that's your thing.) Also, there a couple of interviews done for a Mexican studio with Marty and Gene (don't worry, they also speak English).

Did you ever watch old home movies with, say, an uncle who'd reminisce and sometimes just make silly comments about what's going on? OK, now imagine that your uncle is Mel Brooks and that his home movie is this multi-million dollar spectacle. That's what the comentary track is like. It was really neat to hear not only what Mel had in mind for the various scenes, but his unabashed adulation at the creative talent he had to work with. He even talks about the fellow who plays Inspector Kemp's chauffeur!

All in all, a wonderful movie with a good helping of juicy extras.

Homage to Horror
This is probably Mel Brook's finest work, though some might vote for Blazing Saddles or the Producers. Not me, though. I'll take this one. In a tribute to the old horror movies of yore, Brooks puts together the perfect cast to carry it out. Gene Wilder as Dr. Frankenstein (pronounced FRONKENSTEEN), Marty Feldman as Igor (pronounced EYEGORE), Teri Garr as the lab assistant Inga, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman, and my personal favorite from the movie Madeline Khan. Her scene with Marty Feldman standing at the doorway of the castle and the one where she saunters into the bedroom looking like Elsa Lanchester are both absolute total screams. The great thing about the cast is the fact that they all are in total flow with the movie and with each other. The DVD has many extra features which makes it miles ahead of the VHS tape.

"Roll, roll, roll in ze hay."
Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein" is not only a loving tribute to James Whale's original Frankenstein films, but a wildly entertaining spoof that still generates laughs years after its original release. This is Brooks in his prime and that is indeed a wonderful sight to behold.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) is the grandson of the notorious Victor Frankenstein. After reviewing his grandfather's work, Frederick tries to recreate the famous reanimation experiment at his ancestral castle. Frederick succeeds in bringing his own creation to life but as luck would have it, there is a problem with the brain implanted in the monster (Peter Boyle). Soon, the monster is roaming the countryside and finding itself in one hilarious situation after another until Frederick catches up with him and promptly puts his tap-dancing talents to good use.

"Young Frankenstein" is blessed with top quality comedic performances from start to finish. Wilder and Boyle are pitch perfect as the doctor and his creation and the supporting cast of Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Terri Garr, Cloris Leachman, and Gene Hackman all shine. The production design also is top notch as the Frankenstein Castle's interiors and exteriors are faithfully recreated - with the help of some of the original props - in glorious black and white and literally look like holdover sets from Universal's "Frankenstein" (1931) and "The Bride of Frankenstein" (1935). You would never think that source material like Mary Shelley's original work could inspire such a funny film, but leave it to Brooks to prove it could be done.

"PARDON ME BOY...IS THIS THE TRANSYLVANIA STATION?"
"Yah, yah, track twenty-nine...I hope you make it in time!" Non stop gags; a terrific atmosphere, worthy of the classic Universal Frankenstein movies we all know and love...James Whale would have LOVED this! Whenever the name Frau Blucher (Cloris Leachman) is mentioned, the horses go into a frenzy of neighs; GREAT stuuf. At night in the graveyard, Igor (Pronounced EYE-GORE) and Wilder are digging up a corpse (digging because Igor took the wrong brain...Abby Normal!) for their nefarious lab work; Wilder starts complaining and Igor (Feldman) says: "Could be worse....could be raining." No sooner are the words out of his mouth then we hear a terrific crash of thunder, then see lightning, and then the skies open up. Then Igor says: "I have a hunch..." This is so funny it can make you sick from laughing; when Peter Boyle, as Frankenstein's Monster, launches into his famous "Puttin' on the Ritz" you are pretty much over the edge and barely able to breathe any more. One of my favorite lines is when Igor is driving Wilder to the Castle and there is a howl in the distance; Wilder says nervously: "What was that?" And Igor replies: "Werewolf." Wilder: "Werewolf?" Igor: "There...wolf."
Feldman, Wilder and Cloris Leachman are wonderful in this, and it was shot, appropriately, in black and white. I was fortunate enough to be at the studio when this was being shot and went onto the set and opened a door in the Castle and there were Peter Boyle, Wilder and Feldman all sitting around a table, taking a break...and Boyle had the most sickening shade of green make-up all over his face; he looked terrific. the sets were fantastic, and it was a thrill to be allowed to see them all. Great stuff and a very funny movie.

comedy at its best
Young Frankenstein is one of the few movies that EVERYONE knows. The actors do an excellent job of delivering the great "slap-stick" comedy throughout the film. The entire movie is also delivered in black and white to give it that old horror film feeling, and takes place mostly in the castle of Dr. Frankenstein. Now that the infamous Dr. Frankenstein has passed, his grandson, Fredrick, goes to the castle.

While in the castle he falls upon his grand fathers old library and realizes that bringing people back to life after death could work, and creates a fully operational hulk! This movie is great if you ahve a sharp grasp on humor and a bit of information from the timespan. Some jokes will pass right over the heads of some of the younger viewers, such as the scene where Dr. FRONKenstein (as he likes to be called) arrives at the train station at track 29 and a boy asks if he can give him a shine. Me being a high school student, i am greatful that my jazz choir sang the chatanooga choo choo or i would have never understood that one. in conclusion the movie is a hilarious collection of old cliches about horror movies, yet never gets tiresome like some of monty pythons movies. A great, entertaining trip to Transylvania awaits you! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Delivering exactly what its title promises, this celebration of stupidity was Jim Carrey's 1994 follow-up to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask. The film pairs the rubber- faced wacky man with Jeff Daniels as the not-so-dynamic duo of Lloyd and Harry, dunderheads who come into the possession of a briefcase containing ransom money that is intended for Mob-connected kidnappers.Lauren Holly costars as the woman who lost the briefcase, and with whom Carrey falls in love (both in real life and as his moronic on-screen character). As Lloyd and Harry make a mad dash to return the briefcase (never aware of its contents), the bumbling buddies attract Mobsters, cops, and trouble galore.This lowbrow laugh-a-thon scores some solid hits for hilarity, but with gags involving ill-fated parakeets, buxom bimbos, and an overdose of laxatives, be prepared to put your brain--and good taste--on hold. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (257)

Best (and funniesr) movie ever made!
I'll tell you, flat out, perfectly honest, i've seen this movie about.... oh, say 60, maybe 70 times, i can recite the whole movie from memory, and have noticed every single joke possibly concievable from this movie. SO whi is it, that every time I watch it, I crack up hysterically every 20 seconns? it because of the shear genius of Lloyd Christmas'(Carrey) utter stupidity, because of Harry Dunn's(Daniels) complete lack of any common sense. The movie isnt like other comedies, you know, the ones you buy, laugh at them once, watch it again, and say,"Why did I even think of buyin' this?" Well this movie, about two complete idiots, who have been best friends all their life, aqcuire a briefcase that was left in an air terminal by the prettiest woman Lloyd has ever seen. Now Lloyd and a reluctant Harry travel cross country, from Providence to Aspen, just to return the briefcase. Along the way, they'll unkowingly run into kidnappers, "laid back country folk" as Lloyd would say, and more than one police squad, just to return a briefcase that they dont even know whats in it, or the entire womans name! You have to see it!

It's supposed to be dumb, people!
I don't why many movie critics from the past and the present critically panned this film. It's freakin' hilarious! It paved the way for disgusting comedies like THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and SCARY MOVIE. By the way, the Farrelly brothers, who masterly directed this film, also did MARY.

Anyway, DUMB & DUMBER will leave in hesterics! Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are amazingly stupid as characters Lloyd and Harry. The two lovable losers from Rhode Island go cross country to Aspen, Colorado to return a loaded briefcase to a woman named Mary (Lauren Holly), whom Lloyd is in love with. But the two dimwits don't know that assassins are on theyre' tail to retrieve the briefcase! Ok, everyone know's the storyline, so let's talk about the humor in the film.

One of my favorite scenes in the film is when a cop pulls Harry and Lloyd for a speed ticket, and unknowingly drinks a beer bottle with Lloyd's yerin in it. Funny! And when the dipstick Harry sticks his tongue to a frozen pole (borrowed liberally from A CHRISTMAS STORY) and experiences horrible diahorea. Sounds crude, but it's movie magic at its best. Oh yeah, the scene where Lloyd accidently killing a endangered snow owl, and saying the line "Boy this party really died", is a classic Carrey moment.

If your a fan of Carrey and the Farrelly Brothers, or like disgusting comedies, or just simply a moron, you'll love this film! One of Carrey's best!

Hilariously funny comedy classic!
I was absolutely appalled at how horrible the prequel "When Harry Met Lloyd" was when released in 2003 so I went back to the original from 1994 and let me tell you, it is still a really funny and witful comedy classic.

Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey are an amazing team starring as two really low-wealth bums in the run-down slums of the east coast rustbelt and when Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) is a taxi driver at the airport, an attractive woman (Lauren Holly) accidentally leaves behind an important suitcase with important material and now Harry along with his longtime dim-witted friend Harry Dunn try to compete to win her heart over and go all the way to Aspen, Colorado to return the suitcase to her but they are unaware that they are being persued by a criminal couple involved in a criminal crime ring.

This movie is just plain funny and while certainly not a masterpiece by any means, it is nonetheless a memorable movie by both of the lead actors and Daniels and Carrey are a wonderful comedy duo team and a pity taht Derek Richardson and Eric Christian Olsen could not take notice of how well the former two did on this original movie.

This is a movie that warrants taking off the thinking cap for a while and get out the soda and popcorn and share a laugh with your friends.

Just hilarious!
By far Jim Carrey's best film he has ever done in his entire life. Even if you can't stand him, you can't help laughing in this. The film is about Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Harry (Jeff Daniels, who is equally as funny). Lloyd is at his Limo driving job and he picks a woman up to take to the airport. But he falls deeply in love with her, and when he drops her off, she forgets to take her briefcase and Lloyd chases after her... but he just misses her (an excellent scene!). So, he doesn't know what to do with the case. He persuades his friend Harry to go out in their car to find her and give it back to her. Harry soon says: "ok" and they headto Aspen to return the case. But the case isn't what the seem it is to be, and they could be the wrong guys to have hold of it.

The film has just so many out-ragious scenes, including a scene in a restaurant were they fill this guys' bruger up with spicy peppers and he heats up when he takes a bite. The film does come to one of those endings were the villain shows up and it gets less funny and more serious.

So, right from the very minute this starts you'll be laughing. Any words that come out from Harry or Llyod's mouth is just so hilarious.

The Jim Carrey Show (guest-starring Jeff Daniels)
Harry and Lloyd (Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey) are bosom buddies and undoubtedly the two most stupid human beings on the face of the earth. They get involved in a kidnap-for-ransom scheme that prompts them to undertake a cross-country drive to Aspen, Colorado. Along the way, there are plenty of comic episodes.

Although Jeff Daniels is great, Jim Carrey really carries this movie. He is absolutely incredible. I suppose that every generation needs its own Jerry Lewis, but Carrey out-Jerry-Lewises the original. His energy, flexibility, and unerring instinct for the madcap are quite amazing, and I think that future generations will remember him as a great comedian. Check out the fight scene in the restaurant, for example, and notice how many long, unbroken shots comprise it. This film is lowbrow to be sure, but it cracks me up every time. What more can you really ask from a comedy? ... Read more

Description

Jay Trotter has waited a lifetime for this day. He's got a hot tip on a horse everyone thinks is ready for the glue factory. But, as track aficionados say, "Even when you know, you never know." One thing you can be certain be sure of is that with Richard Dreyfuss, David Johansen, Teri Garr and more, this is a winning comedy. So put it in your VCR and Let It Ride. Its characters give new meaning to "the odds." And its heart will touch everyone who's wondered: "If every dog has his day, why can't every person have one?" ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Not in this lifetime........PERFECT!
Those were the words that Jay Trotter(Dreyfus)read aloud from the Daily Racing Form about the winning chances of a horse named Charity. This is a been-there-and-you'll-laugh-yourself-silly movie if there ever was one. Go to the racetrack for a day, and you'll see every one of the characters portrayed in this movie, from Cheeseburger, the Hawaiian shirted gambler who knows nothing about handicapping and bets inside tips, to the bookie Lufkin, there collecting money from deadbeats and doctors alike. Based on the book "Good Vibes", this is a non-stop, always entertaining comedy that gives every track goer the incentive to try it one more time. Dreyfus portrays Jay Trotter, a down on his luck cab driver that has given up gambling in order to keep his perilous relationship with his wife (Terri Garr) together. His buddy Looney, also a cab driver played by David Johanssen, is prominent in this film as a born loser who records a conversation taking place in the back seat of his cab stating "The only way Charity can lose is if she's struck by lightning in the starting gate." Jennifer Tilly shows up in all her splendor and beauty as ditzy arm candy for a gambling, middle-aged, business owner who raises the price on the envelopes he sells according to the success he's had at the track that particular week. Tilly's character describes him best, "Herbie is rich." Add to the cast Michelle Phillips as a man-chasing soon to be widow, and run of luck that Trotter can't explain and you have the ingredients of a comedy that you won't soon forget. Get the video, already!

When a Loser can't stop Winning
I'd heard there were problems with the making of this comedy and it slipped in and out of theatres without much notice. I remember seeing the trailer and thinking that the movie looked terrible.
Then I saw it was based on a Jay Cronley novel.

If you've never read a Jay Cronley novel, find one: he has a hilarious writing style that can't be transferred to a movie screen. He wrote FUNNY FARM (made into the Chevy Chase movie) and QUICK CHANGE (with Bill Murray). The perfect John Candy role can be found in WALKING PAPERS but, sadly, John's gone. And then there's GOOD VIBES, which became LET IT RIDE.

This is a funny, funny movie. It takes the seedy setting of a horse track and fills it with hilarious characters all trying to make that winning bet. Richard Dreyfus gives an energetic performance as Jay Trotter, a loser who, for one day, just can't stop winning.

Give this underrated gem a shot. If you connect with it, then it's a winning bet.

We love the longshots
Is it possible that no one rated this film less than five stars? If you watch this movie, you'll see why. LET IT RIDE is one of those quiet sleepers that, at first, attracted a very narrow audience. When it premiered, and when it was released on video, no one I had asked had known of the film's existence. Now, more and more people are asking me if I have. I smugly say, "You bet!" (Bad pun intended.) This is one of those tightly-scripted, perfectly-acted, beautifully paced comedies that make you wish more like this were made. Put your money on the right pony and pick this one up. Sorry, Smarty Jones.

Let It Ride
If you like a punt- this is a must see. It has been surpassed by no other punting video ever made.

Wonderful !!
An amusing, funny film about a guy who is "having a very good day" ! You will not regret picking this DVD up, it's a great Sunday afternoon, laying on the couch film. It will put a few smiles on your face...:+) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Adapted from the beloved novel by Walter Farley, this 1979 family classic was hailed by no less than hard-to-please critic Pauline Kael, who wrote that "it may be the greatest children's movie ever made." A visual feast from start to finish, the timeless tale of The Black Stallion plays out on almost mythic terms. A young boy survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a deserted island with a graceful black stallion, with whom the boy develops an almost empathic friendship. After being rescued and returning home, the two make a winning team as jockey and lightning-fast racehorse under the tutelage of a passionate trainer, played by Mickey Rooney in an Oscar-nominated role. From its serenely hypnotic island sequence to the breathtaking race scenes, this delightful film is guaranteed to enthrall any viewer, regardless of age. The Black Stallion is a genuine masterpiece of family entertainment. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (53)

The most magical childrens' (& adults') movie ever made!
I have been completely enchanted with The Black Stallion since first seeing this movie in the theater at the age of 7 and then having the opportunity to meet Cass Ole in Washington, D.C. shortly thereafter. I remember being the first in line to have my picture taken with that horse!

I have never seen a movie more beautifully filmed. From start to finish you will be riveted during the trauma of the sinking freighter, the desert island scene (about 45 minutes with no speaking - you will be amazed at well they pull this off!), The Black's homecoming to New York and the final race.

I still watch this movie on occassion and my heart beats harder each time as Alec and The Black are rescued from the island and during the race. Still, my favorite scene is during the final credits where we return to the island and see Alec and The Black playing together and rolling in the sand on the beach as the most beautifully reminiscent music plays.

This is the stuff dreams are made of - I have always wanted to be Kelly Reno on that island!

Cinematography and visual storytelling at its best
If you can get past the labelling of "children's story" or "melodramatic fable", The Black Stallion has the kind of stunning filmwork reserved only for the grandest epics. The first half of the movie -- about a boy and horse shipwrecked on a small island -- is basically a silent movie. It is a story of friendship and trust that is told without the benefit of dialog. Deschanel's wonderful cinematography conveys both the island's beauty and Farley's storytelling without becoming maudlin or trite. The still photography alone brings to mind Adams, and the haunting score is near perfect for the occasion. The second half of the film reverts back to a formulaic Nerd-wins-Girl, or in this case, Boy-and-Horse-Win-Big-Race, but the performances are superb and the movie never patronizes to its adult viewers. Predictable ending aside, The Black Stallion is an awesome, visual masterpiece masquerading as a children's movie.

Great flick, poor DVD
The story and the cinematography were excellent. The transfer to DVD was very disappointing. It looked out of focus from time to time, the dark scenes were muddy, and there were film "remnants" in the transfer (scratches, film marks). And the sound, while Dolby, was 2.0 which was rather disappointing, too.
This isn't too recommend against it, just beware, it isn't the great audio/visual feast that it could be.

DON'T BE A HORSE'S PATOOT - SEE THIS MOVIE!
You don't want to miss out on this wonderful family film about a boy and his dog. The fact that Caleb Deschanel was not - huh? - a horse? Oh, yes, of course! A horse. A wonderful family film about a boy and his horse. -------- The fact that Caleb Deschanel was not even nominated for an Oscar for his extraordinary cinematography in THE BLACK STALLION goes to prove what a dog and pony show the Academy Award presentations really are. (Dang! How'd that dog sneak back in here again?) Deschanel's poetic work in this film belongs in an elite class which also includes KOYAANISQATSI and ONE FROM THE HEART. -------- Kelly Reno's work also belongs in an elite class of highly developed performances by child actors which also includes Bobs Watson in ON BORROWED TIME and Haley Joel Osment in THE SIXTH SENSE. -------- But what I really want to focus on with this review is something that only my fellow reviewer Candace Scott seemed to fully appreciate and note in her July 3, 2003 assessment: I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to do a little (VERY little) professional acting in the late l970s and early '80s. It was a craft I seriously studied for many years, and having learned a bit about it, I'm here to say that MICKEY ROONEY's naturalistic performance in this movie is one of the finest ever filmed! I watch THE BLACK STALLION every couple of years and end up slack-jawed every time! -------- In acting there is something known as "False Notes", and these occur when a performer falls out of character and/or plays to the camera or audience. Even the greatest of thespians are guilty of committing False Notes in every performance. MICKEY's performance as horse trainer Henry Dailey may be the only PERFECT performance I have ever seen. Does it seem like he just isn't doing much? Does it seem like he's hardly even acting? EXACTLY!!! The viewer simply can't catch him "acting", and that's the whole point! His actions, his reactions, his speech patterns are so organic to the character he's playing that it simply floors me!!! He may have played a False Note for a brief moment in the scene where he reassures Alec who sits on the car bumper in the rain-soaked night. Maybe. MAYBE! It's arguable. I've seen many an extraordinary performance in my (nearly) 45 years, but this one is really something special. (You actors out there know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you?) There are many excellent reasons to see this film, but Mickey is the best of them. At least for me. -------- I suppose I should mention the movie's one notable flaw even though it is of such little consequence: The editing in the horse race always disturbs me a little. As they cut from the closeup on the thundering hooves to the long establishing shot and then back again, it leaves the false impression that The Black's position changes in the field of horses. But c'mon, are we gonna let a little detail like that spoil such an overall artistic success for us? No way! The bottom line is: THE BLACK STALLION is a real winner; you can bet on it!

the girl
i will like a boook on the girl. i will buy it for $5.00 ... Read more

Reviews (59)

What y'all really want is some gross, caricature of a woman!
In 1982, Dustin Hoffman played one of his most memorable roles as Michael Dorsey in the hilarious comedy, "Tootsie". As an out-of-work actor, Michael teaches acting classes because no director will hire him due to his somewhat peremptory attitude, or so says his agent George Fields (Sydney Pollack, who also directed the film). Frustrated with being undesirable and wanting to prove himself, Michael dons a dress and high heels so that he can apply for a female role in a television soap opera. Calling himself Dorothy Michaels, the soap opera director, Ron (Dabney Coleman), thinks that Dorothy is too ugly for the part, but Dorothy's dominance earns 'her' the right to a screen test and 'she' gets hired! As the film progresses, Michael's pretense as a woman earns him the stardom and recognition that he longed for. However, it also gets him into trouble not only with a woman that he's dating, Sandy (Teri Garr), but also with two of the regular stars from the soap opera, Julie (Jessica Lange) and John Van Horn (George Gaynes).

With an excellent script, superb acting and a hilarious story, it was completely unsurprising that "Tootsie" earned 10 Oscar nominations, including nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Syndey Pollack), Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay. Dustin Hoffman was nominated for Best Actor and both Teri Garr and Jessica Lange were nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Of all the Oscar nominations, only Jessica Lange won the Oscar. Dustin Hoffman won the Golden Globe for Best Actor, as did Jessica Lange for Best Supporting Actress. The number of Oscar nominations that the film earned demonstrated the many strengths of the film, not to mention that the film will keep you laughing and fully engaged!

Other very memorable characters in the film include Julie's father Les (Charles Durning), Michael's roommate Jeff (Bill Murray), soap opera producer Rita (Doris Belack) and soap opera nurse April (a young Geena Davis).

If you enjoy films such as "Some Like It Hot" (1959) and "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993), you will more than likely enjoy "Tootsie" equally as well. I rate "Tootsie" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and am very pleased to own it on DVD.

We Are Large...We Contain Multitudes
When I first saw this film more than 20 years, I really did not fully appreciate then what director Sydney Pollack, his cast, and his crew had achieved. To be sure, I found the humor hilarious, the cross-dressing and gender-bending clever, and all of the performances first-rate. I have the same opinion today. However, in ways and to an extent no previous film had done, Tootsie makes certain assertions which have serious implications, then and now. For example, that at least some men can more fully develop their masculinity by recognizing their femininity, as indeed Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels (Dustin Hoffman) does. And the same is also true of at least some women. Moreover, this film effectively demonstrates how difficult it can often be to gain and then sustain another's complete trust. To salvage his acting career, Michael repositions himself as Dorothy so he will be hired to play a character in a soap opera. As Dorothy, he establishes an especially close relationship with another cast member, Julie (Jessica Lange), and falls in love with her while continuing to deceive her. Later, her widower father Les (Charles Durning) falls in love with Dorothy and thus becomes another unwitting victim of Michael's deceit. The eventual happy ending does not include Les.

Shakespeare never devised for his Italian comedies a plot as complicated as the one Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal provided for Tootsie. Under Pollack's direction, all of the cast members provide brilliant performances, notably Bill Murray as Michael's friend Jeff and George Gaynes as John Van Horn, another cast member. Jessica Lange was selected to receive an Academy Award as best actress and deserved it. Much of this film is hilarious, it is always entertaining, but as I indicated previously, having seen it again recently, I find it much bolder and more thought-provoking now than I did 21 years ago. To some, perhaps, its serious implications may even seem threatening.

A Nearly Perfect American Comedy
I heard a story that Dustin Hoffman was considering doing this movie, but that he waited until he had been made up to see if he made a convincing enough woman before agreeing. I don't know how true this story is, or even how convincing he is as a woman, but thank goodness this movie was made.

I can't think of another movie more perfectly cast except.... maybe... Casablanca? Jessica Lange is perfect as the beautiful soap actress and love interest. Charles Durning is perfect as the sweet older man who falls in love with Dustin's "Dorothy". Terri Garr is perfect as the insecure female friend who loses the role on the soap to "Dorothy". Bill Murray is great in his few scenes - this is one of the first movies where we actually got to see him "act". Dabney Coleman is perfect as the arrogant director of the soap who cheats on poor Jessica. Director Sydney Pollack wisely casts himself perfectly as Dustin's exasperated agent. (The scene early on where he informs Dustin that NO ONE will hire him because he's too "difficult" is fantastic.) Lastly, Dustin Hoffman is perfect as the actor who becomes a better man by pretending to be a woman.

The film is full of situations that turn your expectations sideways - I'd give examples, but that would ruin your enjoyment if you haven't seen it yet! Trust me - just watch this movie - but only if you want to be entertained!

FUNNY. AND MEANINGFUL.
What a tightly scripted, beautifully acted, finely paced comedy! Having seen it a long time ago, I felt it must've been very much like an older version of Mrs Doubtfire, but this marvellous film has a lot more going for it than the female impersonation angle.

When a failing actor cross dresses to get a job, he also discovers the inconveniences of being a "woman of the 80s". Throughout the film, there's always a pleasing sense of cynical humor (e.g., "I dont believe in hell. I believe in unemployment, but not in hell") and Hoffman is topnotch in his role.

The from Morricone has a somewhat grating refrain of Stephen Bishop's "It might be you" but I guess it perfectly serves its purpose, providing the touching backdrop to the actor's increasing awareness of the strength of feminine qualities -- the touch of the baby to his cheek, the poignant sight of Julie's skirt swishing in the kitchen, the offering to Dorothy of her chocolate-covered finger to suck, etc.

I can see that Hoffman must have committed to this movie bigtime, and I notice that there's a book that describes the making of this film but is currently out of print. Perhaps something to this effect would have been great to include on the DVD itself, which is incidentally quite lousy for such a classic film.

At any rate, it's a great addition to any movie collection.

Dustin Hoffman is the best!
Dustin Hoffman is a fantastic character actor, one of the all time greats. He is superb in this movie. He is an actor who can't get a job as a man but through circumstances, ends up getting a woman's part in a soap opera. The cast thinks he is a woman and it really was funny watching Hoffman try to keep them from learning he was a man. This movie was really funny and yet it had a lot of drama and humanity included.

I found his portrayal of a woman more interesting and likable than that of the male character, in fact, there were times that I would get so wrapped up in the character, Dorothy, that I would forget that he was a man acting as a woman. The cast, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Bill Murray, Charles Durney, Geena Davis, were all great.

This is one of those movies that will be remembered for years to come! Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Just Because You Are Paranoid...
...Doesn't Mean You're Not Being Followed. Filmed and released between Coppola's masterpiece's THE GODFATHER and THE GODFATHER 2, The Conversation is a tremendous character study with teh flavors of a thriller. Gene Hackman, brings an incredible complexity and subtlety to his portrayal of Harry Caul. That performance and Francis Ford Coppola's direction and original script make this a film that is possibly more poignant today than during its original release, since the story deals with privacy and responsibility. Today, many of the feats performed by Caul as a surveillance operator, are available with most personal computers. Adorned with great characters, like John Cazale and Robert Duvall(both of THE GODFATHER), Cindy Williams and Harrison Ford in an early role as a Christmas Cookie baking weasel (both of AMERICAN GRAFITTI). But, its Hackman's story and his paranoia is evident from the get go. I believe it was the filmmakers intent for you to be left thinking when the film is over... they succeeded. The DVD is nicely restored with great sound design properly presented as well as a non-promotional mini-documentary and commentaries by Francis Ford and an editor.

"The Conversation" on DVD
"The Conversation" is one of those great little masterpieces of the 1970s that just so happens to be directed by Francis Ford Coppola. "The Conversation" tells the tale of Harry Caul, (geniously played by Gene Hackman) a surveillance expert who makes the mistake of getting personally involved in a disturbing assignment. Gene Hackman's performance is so subtle, underplayed, and finely-tuned that it alone makes the film worthwhile. The script is fabulous, with a twist that makes "The Sixth Sense" look like kid's stuff.

The DVD of "The Conversation" is great. To start off, it has good, animated menus. The theatrical trailer is nice, just for nostalgic purposes. There is also a featurette, "Close-Up on The Conversation". It makes for a nice, brief look at the making of the film, and it's fun to see Coppola so young. What really makes this DVD great though, are the two commentary tracks. The first is by the director himself, Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola's commentary is one of the most comprehensive I've ever heard. If you don't appreciate this movie now, you will after you've heard his commentary. The second commentary is by editor Walter Murch, which is also very good, especially if you are specifically interested in the editing process.

If you like Coppola, Hackman, or are just a sucker for a clever script, this DVD is for your collection.

The Commentaries Embellish This DVD
This is an excellent piece of filmaking. Very, very underated to date although many of the Amazon posts catch this piece of story telling. Like the parallel editing sequence that MADE the end of Godfather 1, really kill (pardon the pun) at least according to Robert Evans (The Kid Stays in the Picture)-it is interesting to note that this particular new editor of "The Conversation"-contributed alot of great ideas to the story as well as working on the sound mixing. FFC was off working on Godfather II, so perhaps the Editor has a little more freedom and time to work his magic. Funny-most of the workers of the young studio were non-union so he could not even be credited as a picture or sound Editor. Famous Director of Photography Haskell Wexler was "let go" by Francis very early on and replaced. This action gave the film a superior look, for the theme of the film. You have to love the retro vibe of all that electronic tape gear in the digital age we now live. The visual look is crisp and stunning. If you view this DVD-watch BOTH commentaries. The haunting piano melody over the DVD Menu and that appears throughout the story-is worth appreciation alone. I actually sat down and counted out both sets of machine gun triplets in what is a rather dreamy piece of solo piano. As many have said already-this belongs in your DVD library. And let's not forget the early work here of Harrison Ford-complete with scar on his chin; Cindy Williams; Robert Duvall and Teri Garr. Enjoy and relish. People ARE watching and listening. Even Gene Hackman's sax has "ears."

One gem: one lady between two giants
A Cannes' winner among other virtues, this film is like the fourth symphony of Beethoven: a princess between two power muscle men.
In fact the godfather I and II literally absorbed and in a certain way detoured, (together with Appocalyse now) the attention about this movie.
A genuine masterpiece that confirms the status of Mr. Coppola to the highest rank in the cinema's story.
Hcakman has never been best.

Outstanding work!
In between Godfather films, Francis Ford Coppola made this masterpiece. There are many actors that would go on to bigger and better things. Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, John Cazale to name a few. But it's Gene Hackman's show, who gives his best performance since the French Connection. A classic!! ... Read more

Description

The greatest villain of all comes out of the past to threaten Batman, Bruce Wayne and all of Gotham City in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, the first feature-length Batman Beyond movie. The sleeker, deadlier and seemingly immortal Clown Prince of Crime is back with his own unique brand of havoc and mayhem. While trying to uncover the Joker's secrets, the new Batman, Terry McGinnis, discovers the greatest mystery in the life of the original Caped Crusader: What happened the night he fought the Joker for the last time. When Bruce Wayne is almost killed in one of the Joker's latest attacks, Batman vows to avenge his mentor and put the Joker to rest forever. Get ready for heart-stomping action, awesome adventure and amazing revelations in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. ... Read more

Reviews (182)

Best BATMAN movie since Keaton and Nicholson!!
This movie and DVD were terrific. I was really impressed with the depth of the storyline and the kicker about the Joker's Return. A word of advice. DO NOT...repeat...DO NOT read the Character Bios in the Special Features section prior to watching the movie! They give away the movie's big secret! I made this mistake. The movie was still fantastic, but would have been better if I had not already scanned the Bios. I won't give anything away, but part of what makes this such a great movie is that some loose ends from the original Batman animated series' are cleared up. With the state of the live-action Batman movies, you can't go wrong with this series and this DVD!

Not Flawless, But Still Excellent
Nothing will ever replace the animated series of the early 90s for me, but this film carries many merits. There is a lot of dispute about as to whether the edits should have been made or not. On one hand, I don't feel it was such a bad thing to tone things down that were not crucial to the story. But I do feel they should have kept the scene where the Joker rams a knife into Batman's leg. (This would explain why the true Batman has to use a cane.) All of that aside, the movie is excellent. The action is well done, and the suspense rarely drops. I can not remember stopping the V.C.R. once when I watched this. The new Batman is fighting a gang. We later learn that their boss is someone who is at least claiming to be the one and only Joker. The (Joker's?) first scene is drawn very well. Right away we learn that whoever he is, he DOES NOT tolerate insubordination. Also, despite his role as the older man behind the scenes, he DOES get directly involved in the action. The original Batman says that there is no way this new terror could be the Joker seeing that he knows the Joker is dead. Yet all of the lab work in the Bat Cave says that it IS in fact the Joker. (Excellent suspense!) We are thrown a mislead here and there as to the (Joker's?) true identity, but they are gradually eliminated. (Excellent!) The flashback scene is one of the most terriffying things I have ever viewed. (Only the animated Batman episode where Batman fought the puppet Scarface, the episode "Be A Clown" where Batman and the Joker have their most dramatic confrontation, and the 1979 version of "Dracula" with Frank Langella and Laurence Olivier have frightened me more.) Besides the terror of the flashback, it was a charming bonus to see the original Batman as well as Harley Quinn in action again. The flashback tells us that despite the explosion of the misleads, the new terror simply CAN'T be the Joker. But soon afterwards the terror unfolds and we learn that the Joker truly has returned! The only thing that stops me from giving this 5 stars is that I feel despite his age, the original Batman should have been capable of putting his cape back on for this one final fight. (After all, in the 60s episodes, Alfred occasionally put on Batman's outfit in an emergency. In the early 90s episodes, Alfred, despite his age accompanied Batman in many of the missions.) I think it is almost tragic that animated movies seem to carry more story line, suspense, terror, and quality than so called adult movies. It is almost as if the people making these movies realize that since children are watching it, they can't shower it with sex and profanity. So they have to make it intelligent! Even if like me Bruce Wayne will always be Batman to you, you will not want to miss this.

Takes awhile to get into, but is great once you have.
When the television series Batman Beyond came out, I was very excited about watching it. I thought the episodes were cool, but being twelve at the time they first came out, I soon became bored and got into other things. A few weeks ago, during my spring break, I came across an episode of Batman Beyond on the WB. Since I was bored anyway, I watched it. I was hooked again.

A few months earlier, I had bought this movie for my brother and watched it. I thought it was cool, but the creepy Joker's death scene turned me off. After I got into Batman Beyond again, however, I watched it a couple of times and thought it was great.

For those of you out there that prefer the older Batman series over this one, I would like to state my opinion concerning them. I remember when I was younger watched The New Adventures of Batman and Robin, the live movies, and I think I saw a 70's episode where Batman's climbing a ladder with a plastic shark taped to his leg... Anyway, I can understand why dedicated fans of those shows may be slow to like Batman Beyond. Yes, the series are different, but in a way, I prefer Batman Beyond over the older series. Why? Because even though Bruce is usually the one sitting behind the computer doing the research, his crime-fighting dependance on Terry, the new Batman, shows almost a different side of him. Bruce isn't the one anymore telling the kids to sit at home and take care of business himself. Now he doesn't have much of a choice except to send the kids out to fight while helping as much as he can. So if you're a somewhat sentimental, action-loving, and comedy-enjoying kind of person that likes seeing father-son-like relationships developing in movies/tv series, then maybe Batman Beyond can eventually grow on you.

We've been cheated.
Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT buy this video...UNLESS it's guaranteed uncut AND unedited. What we have here is a truly inferior product, when compared to the scenes that were cut and edited OUT of the video...which makes no sense really. Mask of the Phantasm had death, blood, and even sex! Why couldn't this video keep what it had originally?

This is truly a shame. What was taken out was, while dark, a truly integral and provacative piece(s) of the story. Don't buy this, it's not how the story really happened. It's a dumbed down version of the flick that Warner Brothers commanded to be made, because they're still under the impression that kids are stupid, and cartoons are only watched by kids.

Quite insulting really.

Extreme Bat Fan
In reading the reviews written by people who have not seen the uncut version, I find that most say that the cuts don't matter. That is totally incorrect! While the edited version is still good, the edits do change the story and in some places make it confusing. If you haven't seen the unedited version, do not be foolish and say that it the edits don't matter. They do. Hopefully WB will release the unedited version in the future and then the reviewers can be treated to something very special. Notice how everyone who has seen the unedited version immediately says that it is better. Take a hint from them. But I would say for now, buy the DVD or VHS tape. You may never get a chance to see the unedited version and the edited version isn't that bad. Although it doesn't hold a candle to the original, it's all we have for now. ... Read more

Reviews (180)

We Are Not Alone
Nearly a quarter century since it was unleashed, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND ranks as one of the supreme cinematic achievements of the modern era. Steven Spielberg wrote and directed this tremendous science fiction film with his own distinctive middle-class view on things.

Richard Dreyfuss is at his usual terrific best in the role of Ron Neary, another of Spielberg's "Everyman" characters. He is an Indiana power lineman who is called out on a night where the entire city of Muncie goes dark. Then, at a railroad crossing, he is suddenly shocked by the appearance of a UFO, flooding him with brilliant white light. This encounter soon turns both him and his life upside down; his wife (Teri Garr) and kids can't understand his obsession with turning the shape of mashed potatoes or mounds of dirt from his backyard into a mysterious mountain he's been seeing in his mind. Meanwhile, a lonely mother (Melinda Dillon) has her own close encounters with the UFOs, resulting in the still-unseen aliens abducting her son (Cary Guffey). She too has visions of a mysterious mountain, visions which find their way into paintings and colorings.

When the news comes on TV with word that a train supposedly loaded with deadly nerve gases has overturned in northeastern Wyoming, however, both Dreyfuss and Dillon know the locale--Devils Tower. In spite of government officials closing the park off to outsiders (the nerve gas leak is an elaborate cover story), Dreyfuss and Dillon witness, along with a noted UFO expert (Francois Truffaut, director of the 1969 classic THE WILD CHILD) and hundreds of others, the first actual close encounter of the third kind--direct physical contact between Earthlings and extra-terrestrials.

Spielberg's film was obviously a radical shift from most previous Hollywood depictions about outer space visitations to Earth. He evokes the famous line "Watch The Skies" from Howard Hawks' 1951 classic THE THING, but does so without the paranoia and hysteria of the space invasion films of the 1950s. There are no lasers or bug-eyed monsters.

Because CLOSE ENCOUNTERS was made after America's twin debacles with Vietnam and Watergate, it takes a low-key but rather apparent questionable view of the military and the government--as Stephen King put in his book "Danse Macabre", a "don't-let-the-military handle this" approach. In its scope and approach, this movie is closer, in a middle-class way, to Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, which Spielberg has always numbered among his favorites, than to any sci-fi film of the past. Dreyfuss and Dillon are excellent in their roles, as is Truffaut; and as for John Williams' score...what more needs to be said; it's brilliant. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS (also known as CE3K) won an Oscar for Vilmos Zsigmond's cinematography, though four other men (William Fraker, Douglas Slocombe, John Alonzo, Laszlo Kovas) are also credited.

Well conceived, suspenseful, occasionally terrifying, and finally uplifting, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS is yet one more staggering masterpiece for a director with a whole lot of masterpieces still to come.

This Movie Changed a Genre
Steven Spielberg is at his best here. The film plays almost like a documentary, and leaves you half-expecting to see alien ships whipping past you on the highway.

Richard Dreyfuss, in a stellar performance, is an ordinary man who is suddenly possessed by something, but is not sure what. We, and he, gradually discover that he is not alone in this obsession; a small group of people across the country have been summoned to Devil's Tower in Wyoming. There is also a sudden increase in UFO sightings across the country. The summonees gradually converge on Devil's Tower, while the scientific community tries to keep everyone away, out of legitimate and sincere safety concerns. The scientists have figured out that a spaceship is on its way and plans to land. The entire movie runs like Ravel's "Bolero": a slow crescendo culminating in a roaring climax ...

The special effects are not only extremely good but are also beautiful. The alien scout ships look like luminescently surreal Christmas tree ornaments and the mother-ship looks like the surreal tree they came from. Everything glows in outlandish colors. The musical score fits the movie perfectly (well, it was done by John Williams) and can stand alone as an orchestral masterpiece. The acting is also very good, and especially so for Richard Dreyfuss.

This film redefined the whole genre of aliens-visit-Earth. Before "Close Encounters", such movies had the aliens attacking us, the aliens appearing friendly but actually here for nefarious reasons, or the aliens being here for genuinely friendly reasons but we don't get it and end up attacking them. "Close Encounters" showed benign, intelligent aliens being met by benign, intelligent humans for information exchange and mutual gain. Of all the garbage and violence we've broadcast out into space (for everything seen on broadcast television is also transmitted Out There), I hope that any would-be visitors, if they exist, see this film before arriving. Even without understanding a word, they'll get the message: if you come in peace, you'll be received in kind. I'm not some fanatic who's convinced there is someone on the way, but, just in case there is, I hope we can respond as maturely and intelligently as this film portrays.

The Neary Family is as impressive as the light show
For me the portrayal of the Neary family is equally as stunning as the portrayal of the spacecraft throughout the movie. The acting in any scene involving the Nearys is astounding. Even though that family doesn't end up the way we might hope, they behave exactly like a real family might when faced with their situation. Pay special attention to the children. Their reactions are dead on.

The special effects are breathtaking and continue to prove, as have so many other great films, that the old way of doing effects is far more spectacular and convincing than today's cartoonish CGI effects.

Incoherent plot; bad science
This film has such distractingly glaring holes that enjoying it is impossible.
Aside from questions of what do aliens need with airplane fighter squadrons and steamships, it presumes that aliens use the same numbering systems and geographic and temporal degradations that we do (why would an alien know how long a second is?)

Add a whole lot of Spielbergian paranoia about the government, and there you have it.

"Toys!"
4.5 stars. This is easily one of my favorite early films from living, legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg. This film and "Jaws" are two incredible, remarkable achievements from the 1970s. In 1977 all I really remember was the release of another science fiction film by the name of "Star Wars," and it wasn't until the early eighties on cable television that I began to appreciate "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." One of the aspects that sets his early films apart from most was his subtle, yet effective sense of humor. There are many scenes in this film that are just plain hilarious. This is a great story with some excellent acting, most notably from Richard Dreyfuss who won the Oscar for Best Actor in the same year for "The Goodbye Girl." I can't help feeling that his work in this film added to the Oscar voting. Apart from the magical Spielberg touches, which are everywhere, there is another force in this film in the score by composer John Williams. John Williams also won the Oscar for Best Score that same year for "Star Wars." As for the Special Features section on the DVD they finally have the deleted scene showing the inside of the Mother Ship. Steven Spielberg mentions in the documentary that he wishes he had never filmed the sequence, leaving the inside of the ship a mystery. But I love the scene, and I think it adds even more majesty to the ship seeing how huge it is from the inside. This is a Sci-fi gem from the 1970s. I highly recommend buying this DVD. Thank you. ... Read more

Reviews (180)

We Are Not Alone
Nearly a quarter century since it was unleashed, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND ranks as one of the supreme cinematic achievements of the modern era. Steven Spielberg wrote and directed this tremendous science fiction film with his own distinctive middle-class view on things.

Richard Dreyfuss is at his usual terrific best in the role of Ron Neary, another of Spielberg's "Everyman" characters. He is an Indiana power lineman who is called out on a night where the entire city of Muncie goes dark. Then, at a railroad crossing, he is suddenly shocked by the appearance of a UFO, flooding him with brilliant white light. This encounter soon turns both him and his life upside down; his wife (Teri Garr) and kids can't understand his obsession with turning the shape of mashed potatoes or mounds of dirt from his backyard into a mysterious mountain he's been seeing in his mind. Meanwhile, a lonely mother (Melinda Dillon) has her own close encounters with the UFOs, resulting in the still-unseen aliens abducting her son (Cary Guffey). She too has visions of a mysterious mountain, visions which find their way into paintings and colorings.

When the news comes on TV with word that a train supposedly loaded with deadly nerve gases has overturned in northeastern Wyoming, however, both Dreyfuss and Dillon know the locale--Devils Tower. In spite of government officials closing the park off to outsiders (the nerve gas leak is an elaborate cover story), Dreyfuss and Dillon witness, along with a noted UFO expert (Francois Truffaut, director of the 1969 classic THE WILD CHILD) and hundreds of others, the first actual close encounter of the third kind--direct physical contact between Earthlings and extra-terrestrials.

Spielberg's film was obviously a radical shift from most previous Hollywood depictions about outer space visitations to Earth. He evokes the famous line "Watch The Skies" from Howard Hawks' 1951 classic THE THING, but does so without the paranoia and hysteria of the space invasion films of the 1950s. There are no lasers or bug-eyed monsters.

Because CLOSE ENCOUNTERS was made after America's twin debacles with Vietnam and Watergate, it takes a low-key but rather apparent questionable view of the military and the government--as Stephen King put in his book "Danse Macabre", a "don't-let-the-military handle this" approach. In its scope and approach, this movie is closer, in a middle-class way, to Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, which Spielberg has always numbered among his favorites, than to any sci-fi film of the past. Dreyfuss and Dillon are excellent in their roles, as is Truffaut; and as for John Williams' score...what more needs to be said; it's brilliant. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS (also known as CE3K) won an Oscar for Vilmos Zsigmond's cinematography, though four other men (William Fraker, Douglas Slocombe, John Alonzo, Laszlo Kovas) are also credited.

Well conceived, suspenseful, occasionally terrifying, and finally uplifting, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS is yet one more staggering masterpiece for a director with a whole lot of masterpieces still to come.

This Movie Changed a Genre
Steven Spielberg is at his best here. The film plays almost like a documentary, and leaves you half-expecting to see alien ships whipping past you on the highway.

Richard Dreyfuss, in a stellar performance, is an ordinary man who is suddenly possessed by something, but is not sure what. We, and he, gradually discover that he is not alone in this obsession; a small group of people across the country have been summoned to Devil's Tower in Wyoming. There is also a sudden increase in UFO sightings across the country. The summonees gradually converge on Devil's Tower, while the scientific community tries to keep everyone away, out of legitimate and sincere safety concerns. The scientists have figured out that a spaceship is on its way and plans to land. The entire movie runs like Ravel's "Bolero": a slow crescendo culminating in a roaring climax ...

The special effects are not only extremely good but are also beautiful. The alien scout ships look like luminescently surreal Christmas tree ornaments and the mother-ship looks like the surreal tree they came from. Everything glows in outlandish colors. The musical score fits the movie perfectly (well, it was done by John Williams) and can stand alone as an orchestral masterpiece. The acting is also very good, and especially so for Richard Dreyfuss.

This film redefined the whole genre of aliens-visit-Earth. Before "Close Encounters", such movies had the aliens attacking us, the aliens appearing friendly but actually here for nefarious reasons, or the aliens being here for genuinely friendly reasons but we don't get it and end up attacking them. "Close Encounters" showed benign, intelligent aliens being met by benign, intelligent humans for information exchange and mutual gain. Of all the garbage and violence we've broadcast out into space (for everything seen on broadcast television is also transmitted Out There), I hope that any would-be visitors, if they exist, see this film before arriving. Even without understanding a word, they'll get the message: if you come in peace, you'll be received in kind. I'm not some fanatic who's convinced there is someone on the way, but, just in case there is, I hope we can respond as maturely and intelligently as this film portrays.

The Neary Family is as impressive as the light show
For me the portrayal of the Neary family is equally as stunning as the portrayal of the spacecraft throughout the movie. The acting in any scene involving the Nearys is astounding. Even though that family doesn't end up the way we might hope, they behave exactly like a real family might when faced with their situation. Pay special attention to the children. Their reactions are dead on.

The special effects are breathtaking and continue to prove, as have so many other great films, that the old way of doing effects is far more spectacular and convincing than today's cartoonish CGI effects.

Incoherent plot; bad science
This film has such distractingly glaring holes that enjoying it is impossible.
Aside from questions of what do aliens need with airplane fighter squadrons and steamships, it presumes that aliens use the same numbering systems and geographic and temporal degradations that we do (why would an alien know how long a second is?)

Add a whole lot of Spielbergian paranoia about the government, and there you have it.

"Toys!"
4.5 stars. This is easily one of my favorite early films from living, legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg. This film and "Jaws" are two incredible, remarkable achievements from the 1970s. In 1977 all I really remember was the release of another science fiction film by the name of "Star Wars," and it wasn't until the early eighties on cable television that I began to appreciate "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." One of the aspects that sets his early films apart from most was his subtle, yet effective sense of humor. There are many scenes in this film that are just plain hilarious. This is a great story with some excellent acting, most notably from Richard Dreyfuss who won the Oscar for Best Actor in the same year for "The Goodbye Girl." I can't help feeling that his work in this film added to the Oscar voting. Apart from the magical Spielberg touches, which are everywhere, there is another force in this film in the score by composer John Williams. John Williams also won the Oscar for Best Score that same year for "Star Wars." As for the Special Features section on the DVD they finally have the deleted scene showing the inside of the Mother Ship. Steven Spielberg mentions in the documentary that he wishes he had never filmed the sequence, leaving the inside of the ship a mystery. But I love the scene, and I think it adds even more majesty to the ship seeing how huge it is from the inside. This is a Sci-fi gem from the 1970s. I highly recommend buying this DVD. Thank you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1963 Elvis could still be energized by the music in his movies, and the production values hadn't yet descended to budget-crunching level. Thus the breezy pleasure of Fun in Acapulco, which sees the pelvis-swinger coming to life for a rousing "Bossa Nova Baby" and a clutch of faux-Mexican tunes. Nice scenery of the fabled resort, but the movie has a strange disconnect (which becomes weirdly fascinating if you keep track of it): Elvis himself is limited to standing and singing in front of rear-projection Mexican vistas, while his hard-working double bicycles down streets, strides across beaches, etc. The newly hot Ursula Andress keeps Elvis and his double company. Elvis's jobs are among his craziest movie gigs: he begins as a deckhand, is hired as a nightclub entertainer/lifeguard, but is revealed to be a trapeze artist in his former life. By the end, of course, he is also a cliff diver. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Bossa Nova Baby
Great songs and Elvis is looking wonderful! A fun movie for the whole family.

The BEST!
I am a big Elvis fan, and this movie is by far my favorite one! It has everything....catchy songs....Elvis chasing the girls....you name it!

If you are a fan and have not seen this movie, I highly recommend it!

funny entertainment
There was a valid reason for why Elvis was called the king of rock; he was on top and he reigned the entire time he was live, and now, even in death, he manages to sell more and more albums and be enjoyed by new generations.

This Elvis movie is a personal favorite of mine. The on-location filming makes it spectacular and Elvis is truly in top form in this delightful movie. You can watch it with the whole family, and, with the exception of one pretty gruesome fist fight scene, with young children as well.

Elvis sings a number of Spanish-tinged numbers and does a great performance at the El Troubadour of "Bossa Nova Baby."

The plot works well, and the story is fun if you can imagine Elvis Presley being a singer in Mexico in the early '60's.

The four Beatles acutally went to see this movie when the came over to the states early in their career.

Elvis does his own stunts in this film, but does not do the cliff diving scene. The cliff diving scene is really spectacular and really gives this film a unique dimension that many of his other films were missing due to tight budgets.

A great Elvis vehicle, you can enjoy it now, 40 years later (whewww...hard to believe it's that old now) and be transported back to a lovely time of innocence and fun.

Ursala Andress is a delight and had great on-screen chemistry with the king. I wish that she had made more appearances in Elvis movies as she was easily as good as Elvis as an actor.

Buy it for your collection so that you can watch it for years to come, and pass it along to the youngsters to let the next generation enjoy!!

Betty Jennings

Elvis and that Bossa Nova Baby beat.
"Fun In Acapulco" might look like it on-screen, but it wasn't fun in Acapulco for Elvis or Ursula Andress. Both of them were learning new languages. Ursula Andress was just learning English (reason for her voiced being dubbed in "Dr. No"), and Elvis had to learn Spanish because some of the songs he sang have Spanish lyrics. So it was hard work for them. You have to hear Elvis sing in Spanish. It's so different. Here, he plays a former circus performer who comes to Acapulco to get away from his past. He's hired as a lifeguard at a hotel, and sings for the guests at night. Being a lifeguard wasn't easy, because when he was in the circus, he was in the acrobats. On one swing he missed his partner who fell to the ground and resulted in a terrible accident. When a rival lifeguard learns about it, he challenges him to dive again since now Elvis' character is afraid of heights. He's finally able to gain back his courage, beats up the rival Alejandro Rey in a great fight scene, and climbs to the highest clif and makes the highest dive. He wins the heart of Ursula Andress, too. Great latin rhythm, latin love, and latin themed Elvis flick.

Elvis heads south of the border in Fun in Acapulco
This movie review is not written by me. This movie review is written by Elvis Presley. April Fools Day! Elvis Presley heads south of the border. And if you don't know what I mean by that. He heads down to Mexico.

Mike Windgren (Elvis Presley) was put off a circus act with his famkly until an accident happens. The act is broken up. Now Mike is Mexico, where he is fired as a boat hand.

He is fired when his boss's minor daughter accuses him of bring her to a place that his not where she suppose to be. That same night he meets Raoul Almeido (Larry Domasin). He is a child. He looks like a midget Elvis!

Raoul helps Mike find a job at a htel. He is take the place of a bad singer, when the person is sick. And his aslo a part-time lifeguard at the pool. Before he's hired he meets cliff driver and the only lifeguard Moreno (Alejandro Rey). He dives 136 feet off a cliff. You won't catch me doing that.

He aslo meets Moreno's girl named Margarita Dauphine. She is played by Ursula Address. The songs are all sung by Elvis Presely with Larry Domasin sing a song with him. The movie was directed by Richard Thrope (Jailhouse Rock). Viva Elvis! Viva Mexico! ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Excellent! A Scorsese Gem!
Martin Scorsese was honored with by the Cannes Film Festival as best Director in 1986 for his brilliant dark comedy After Hours. It is an amazing and immensely funny film which features an absolutely amazing performance by Griffin Dunne and great supporting performances by many up-and-comers. What makes this movie so awesome is the fact that you never know what is going to happen next to this poor sap who just wanted a little love. The story is simple and very clever, with Paul Hackett(Griffin Dunne), a boring word processor, who meets an interesting but odd girl(Rosanna Arquette) in a coffee shop. Returning home, he decides to call her, and he is invited over to the apartment. Paul doesn't know it, but he is about embark on an incredible journey through "after hours" New York, where all the weirdos (...) are free to roam. The weirdos (...) include Cheech and Chong, Teri Garr, Linda Fiorentino, Verna Bloom, Catherine O'Hara(In her first film appearance), and John Heard. Bronson Pinchot gives a memorable cameo as an ambitious word processor in the beginning of the film. You will love this film, especially the shocking finale. Scorsese is the best!

Scorsese's Masterpiece.
I remember seeing this movie on cable in 1987, and I remember thinking that it was great. I didn't even realize it was Scorsese at the time. Since then this film has become one of my favorites. A relatively unknown actor, Griffin Dunne, is the lead character of this midnight movie. It's basically the night in the life of your average pencil pusher. What happens to him in one night is hilarious. A dark comedy by Scorsese this is bound to be, and already is a classic. Most people haven't seen this film, but I think it's a must have for any movie collector. Unfortunately, it's still not available at this time on DVD. Soon, I hope. Look for great eccentric appearances by Rosanna Arquette, Teri Garr, John Heard and Cheech and Chong (their last film appearance together).

This review is for Amazon's impeccable memory
When I searched for this film two years ago Amazon.com informed me that it wasn't available on dvd, but if I wanted they'd send me an email when it became available. And now, two years later, they've sent me that email! I've had friends tell me that they'll call me back in five minutes and they forget to do it, but Amazon.com, after two freaking years, remembers to get back to me about this obscure, hard-to-find movie. This blows my mind.

5 stars to Amazon, and maybe I'll get around to watching "After Hours" some day.

In my top 5 favorite films / Totally original script
A funny black comedy set in Manhatten. I remeber as a kid watching this film on movie channel in the 80's and being mesmerized by the quirky characters. The main story is an average guy looking for romance in r Manhatten and for one night can't seem to make it back to his apartment. He goes out for a late night coffee at a diner meets Rosanna Arquette & from there encounters all these wacky characters in west village while trying to get back home. The script is amazing and totally original. This is character driven you don't forget the people in this movie Teri Garr as a crazy lonely monkey obsessed nuerotic waitress. Linda Fiorentino as an underground paper machute artist. John Heard as a paraniod bar owner. Griffin Dunne is a hilarious lead character who gets himself in all these oddball situations from one minute to the next. After refusing Teri Garr's advances he ends up having a mob after him. He ducks into an underground night club puts Peggy Lee's "Is that all there is" in the juke box and dances with a lonely lady who comes to his rescue at the end in a very bizarre way. One of my favorites films of all time. This is a must see original Scorsese movie one can't beat the surreal originality of this script.

Totally original and surreal
I first saw this movie when I was wandering around some party many years ago and came across this room where "After Hours" was showing. I missed the first ten minutes and had no odea what was going on, but I was amazed by this incredibly original and strange movie. Griffin Dunne is excellent as a nervous and nerdy office worker that lands in the bizarre world of SOHO without a dime to his name and no way home. The cast of characters he encounters are all original and bizarre and give the movie a slightly disturbing, yet funny because it isn't you quality. How many other movies are out there where the main character is being hunted by an insane Mr. Softy truck driver and a bunch of gay men? There's also some great music, in particular a "Bad Brains" song I hadn't heard in a decade. Buy the movie and watch it! ... Read more