Reviews (27)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com

Paul Newman gives one of the defining performances of his career, and cemented his place as a beautiful-rebel screen icon playing the stubbornly tough and independent title character in Cool Hand Luke. And before he became familiar as a sidekick in 1970s disaster movies (Earthquake and the Airport movies), George Kennedy won an Oscar for playing Dragline, the brutal chain-gang boss who tries to beat loner Luke's cool out of him. It's a classic rebel-against-the-repressive-institution story in the line of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest or The Shawshank Redemption. Certain moments have become classics--particularly the hardboiled egg-eating contest, and the immortal line (drooled by Strother Martin, as a sadistic redneck prison officer), "What we have here is a failure to communicate." And don't forget, Luke is also the source of the oft-quoted driving ditty, "I don't care if it rains or freezes, long as I have my plastic Jesus, right here on the dashboard of my car..." He is cool, all right. The digital video disc is in anamorphic widescreen and digital stereo. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (68)

My favorite movie of all time.
And I really mean it. They used to show this film often on the Superstation. When I was twelve, I watched it; the next time it came on, I taped it, and watched it probably more than 50 times over the next few years (I didn't know for a long time that the TV version has several scenes cut out for length, so getting it on video was a new revelation). What is it about "Cool Hand Luke" that is so moving? Well, it starts with Paul Newman's performance. Lucas Jackson is one of the most psychologically complex characters in the history of cinema, and Newman, criminally denied the Oscar for this film, makes him seem larger-than-life without saying much. Everything that comes out of his mouth is a revelation. The Christ allusions, which are fittingly done, heighten the sense of injustice that Luke is being slowly crucified by the lawmen, simply because he won't bend to their rules. On the surface, Luke seems self-destructive and ignorant, but in repeated watchings of the film, it becomes apparent that Luke is answering to a call that is bigger than the prison, bigger than the bosses, bigger than the law itself. I could go on and on about the myriad other ways in which this film is perfect, but why bother? I only get 1,000 words. Suffice it to say that this is the movie that makes George Kennedy, of all people, seem noble. YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM. The only flaw: I grew up in Georgia, and I can assure you that it is not filmed where it is set. Looks more like the Central Valley of California to me.

Just About Excellent
I cannot imagine why this film hasn't been more acclaimed. It is without a doubt one of the best of all time. I think the thing that appeals most of all to me is the unbelievable authenticity of all the characters. Except for Newman (because, hey, he's Paul Newman) nobody here appears to be acting. The guards are done just right--tough, good ol' boys who you don't wanna mess with. The prisoners meanwhile are a fairly diverse lot, some educated, some not, some with a whiff of femininity, but all have a refusal to be stripped of their dignity. Luke magnifies that element to the Nth degree.
The second best thing is the dialogue: Like "The Godfather", "Star Trek II", "Resoirovir Dogs", and "Jaws", Cool Hand Luke has several scenes which you'll easily memorize in their entirety.
Other elements: Boss Godfrey, The Man With No Eyes who doesn't say one word during the movie and who is one of the most chilling characters in a movie ever; Luke's mother, the car wash girl, the egg-eating contest, and Luke's excellent final monologue.
Luke's story has been compared to that of Jesus. When you look at it, you see that if Luke is a savior, he's a terribly flawed one, one who can't save himself. He's anti-authority, he's got nerve, and some major cojones, but he's got no aims, no goals, no beliefs. He's a Rebel Without A Clue. If he'd been born about 15-20 years later he could have made a good hippie. But this is still the early '50s and men who fail to conform end up exactly where he does. IMHO, this film accomplishes what One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest tried to do and does it much, much, better.

One final small note: The Lalo Schifrin score is great particularly during the "tarring the road" scene. Anyone who grew up in NYC in the 70s will instantly realize it as the theme to Channel 7 Eyewitness News!

An essential 60s movie - a touchstone for many
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy, gritty and violent with a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

This film does NOT fail to communicate
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy. It is gritty and violent and at the same time it has a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

Paul NewMan as Cool Hand Luke what a classic
newman (old blue eyes) stars as cool hand luke jackson, a war hero, who gets himself in trouble with the law, and is repeatedly beaten both mentally and physically savagely by the main boss of the prison he is in.

the main boss hates luke for several reasons: everyone likes luke. he is the typical rebel , yet he has a certain aura around that people love. even the people working in the prison like luke. the boss also hates luke, because he keeps escaping out of prison, which makes the prison's security and himself look bad. the movie from beginning to end, is one of the entertaining and powerful movies by newman. throughout the movie, we see luke's exploits including his status as "cool hand" which basically says that he can do anything. there is no better scene that shows this that luke's bet that can he eat 50 eggs in one hour. this scene is terrific and humorous to watch, time and time again. george kennedy plays greg dragline, luke's best friend and prison inmante. dragline's love of luke is evident through the whole movie. whenever, luke is mistreated dragline is there to try to pick up his spirits. whenever, luke is beaten severely for trying to escape the prison, dragline is one of the first friends that is there to pick him up and attend to him. then of course, this oscar worthy film has the memorable tunes and lines that all audiences all familiar with:

"what we got here is a familiar to communicate" is paul newman, legendary and household line that critics and audiences remember. this line has also been used in over a hundred, movies and tv shows including comedies, crime drama movies and much more. the line is a piece of cult phenomena and america which symobolizes a bad situation.

paul newman was nominated for best actor for this film, but didn't win. newman over his career has been nominated over 10 times for this aw ard: "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" , "Malice", "Nobody's Fool", are several of the great movies that NewMan has been nominated for. "Cool Hand Luke" stands as one of the American movies ever made. It represents the abusive and mistreatment that a couple of prisons have. It also represents an intelligent and popular fellow who all through his life had one bad situation after another, yet like Greg points "Ah Luke, always had that great smile." Luke's character in a way is a reflection on individuals like himself, whose life have been filled with pain and aggravation yet people like these never give up. Taken from a novel by Donn Pearce and directed by Stuart Rosenberg this film is a bonified classic. ... Read more

Description

The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training is the comic and poignant second-in-the-series of adventures with the pint-sized sandlot ballplayers initiated with the smash success, The Bad News Bears. The picture picks up the Bears' career a year after their infamous second-place finish in the North Valley League. Faced with a chance to play the Houston Toros for a shot at the Japanese champs, they devise a way to get Texas to play at the famed Astrodome. On their pilgrimage to Houston, the Bears gain a new coach; dump that coach; add a new pitcher who can't get his fastball over the plate; find another coach who shows him how it's done, and go on to a come-back victory with all eyes on Japan. ... Read more

Reviews (132)

"Superman II: The Wrath of Zod!"
That would have made a better title when it came out into theaters in 1981(Giggle)! Anyway, the second Superman movie was definately a gem for anyone to watch! It is action packed as the Man of Steel (Christopher Reeve) takes on the 3 Kryptonian villains (wonderfully played by Terrence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, and Jack O'Halloran), and its romantic in terms of Superman becoming serious with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder)! Although it was sad that Richard Donner didn't get to direct the second movie, Richard Lester did a wonderful job filling his shoes! However, this was the first film which really began the down-fall of the series! It was clear that Richard Donner did set the tone for Superman which meant not to muck around with the legend! That being the case with the powers you see in this film! If you are a die-hard Superman fan, and know the character and his powers, you'll know what I mean when you watch it! Second, the romance of this film with Lois and Superman does reach it's peak, but then at the end of this film, the fans will be upset with the total outcome! The worst was yet to come with the next 2 films! Fortunately, this DVD is special to me because the magic is still there! Along with the "letterbox" widescreen version to the film which preserves this film and the other so well! Still, I know there were scenes cut-out of the original film that I wish could have been added onto this DVD! Maybe they will come out with the complete version someday soon! Still, a very good movie I recomend to anyone!

Superman II - Extended ONLY
This film gets 4 stars from me based on its extended version and not on the pathetic theatrical cut! A lot of footage was cut from this film but did make it onto various extended versions that were screened across the world. The theatrical cut of this film is a poor reflection on what director Richard Donner intended the world to see. After his sacking by the Salkinds, Richard Lester was dragged in to complete the film and refilm perfectly filmed scenes which Donner filmed in 1977. This decision cost everyone a great movie.

In 1984 fans finally got a well edited film when a lot of Donner's footage was re-inserted into TV broadcasts of the movie. The longest version having accumalated some 24 mins of additional footage. This version has only been screened in Europe and Australia and contains 7 mins more footage than the 1984 ABC telecast. Most notable extended scenes are of Lex and Eve exploring the exterior of the fortress. Miss T to Les, "...It is funny that there is no front door...". Also present is Superman's "Blast off!" line after Lex and the villains are taken away by the Arctic police. These crucial scenes were cut from the theatrical and ABC extended broadcasts.

In saying that still, the film will get 5 stars when I see all director Richard Donner's footage restored into the film.

Anyone thinking that the theatrical is a good film is much mistaken. Any of the extended TV broadcast are a MAJOR improvement over an average film!

A Richard Donner Cut is what I'm after
Not nearly as good as the first movie, this suffers from production problems as a result of Donner's sacking by the Salkinds.
It's plainly obvious which scenes were shot by Donner and which weren't. And sadly, they left out a hefty chunk of what Donner had filmed, giving Lester the top billing as director.
Another sad omission is John Williams rousing score, which has been poorly duplicated. Not nearly as uplifting and powerful as John William's efforts in one.
Although the primary focus is on Lois and Superman's relationship, it doesn't save this picture from stinking. Even Gene Hackman's wonderful performance(which was all directed by Donner, with the exception of scenes where Lester used a body double and an impersonator for Hackman's voice) can't salvage this.
So why do I give this three stars? Because it does have it's moments, though scattered, and I live in the hope that a Richard Donner cut, using primarily all his footage, which would bring back all the scenes with Marlon Brando, will eventually pop up and finally put to bed the question of what could have been.

We need a 21st Century Superman movie!
Very bad film.
They released Spiderman into the 21st century, why not Superman?
I've always found him to be the most appealing comic book character. He is sure for an amazing performance.
RELEASE HIM INTO OUR CENTURY!

BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!!!
All you people complaining about what is and should have been (Donner not being able to complete the project) the end result is a movie that many people view as better! Leave my Superman II alone! ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Lone Star - conviction, love, unpretentious insight
First I would like to thank John Sayles for his unique style.

A somewhat sleepy Southwest Texas border town provides the backdrop for this most unusual film. There is nothing uncommon about the demographic mix here: Anglo, Hispanic, Mexican, Black, yet Sayles hand creates an unforgettable experience through the use of warts-and-all character development and beautiful insight.

I realize some may have issues with the regional nature of this film but make no mistake, having lived most of my life in the Southwest, I can name actual persons that closely match each character in this film.

Chris Cooper plays the part of Sam Deeds to perfection. Recently divorced, Chris returns to Rio County as its new Sheriff, following in his legendary fathers' footsteps. As Chris states in the film, 'I spent the first 15 years of my life trying to be just like my old man, and the next 15 trying to kill him'. For those who do not have larger-than-life fathers, Cooper's portrail is a direct hit. For those who do, I need not say anything.

Although the plot revolves around the discovery of the remains of long-dead Sheriff Charlie Wade, this film is about conviction and human frailty, not solving a murder. An example of the wisdom of Sayles is when Otis Payne, bar owner, explains to his black-and-white thinking Colonel son Chet Payne, poignantly played by Eddie Robinson that most blacks in Rio County patronize both his bar and the church. And Sayles holds true to these words. With the exception of Charlie Wade's character, each shares strengths and weaknesses, frailty and prejudice, practicality and remorse.

Sam Deeds and Elizabeth Pena as Pilar Cruz fit together wonderfully as high-school sweethearts who are reunited after Sam's divorce. Convictions play heavily into both characters: Sam's ambivalent feelings toward his fathers' graft and political gain, Pilar's fight against a canned school curriculum. Sayles wisely points out that people of conviction are not perfect but are special. And when two special meet and fall in love, it is for a lifetime. Circumstances are not on their side, which makes their love affair that much more poignant. The few moments they are able to share are full of deep emotion and affection, just as they should be.

To be honest, my life has so closely paralleled Chris Cooper that this film is extremely difficult for me to watch. But that does not diminish its beauty and insight. For those not from the Southwest, I'd recommend watching at least twice to become familiarized with the cultures. And for those preoccupied with happy endings, you may wish to skip this film entirely.

Simply the best indie film in years...
I saw this movie when it was first released, and then again this week-end on TNT. It's one of the best films I've seen and I plan to purchase it for my library.

It doesn't have a lot of action and the plots develop slowly, but, like In the Heat of the Night, there is not one throw-away scene.

I've never seen Kristofferson so evil...his work was real enough to be very, very scary. I liked Chris Cooper and Frances McDormand is a riot in her all-too-brief scene as Cooper's strung-out ex-wife.

I live in a small town in east Texas and I know people like the Sheriff, Big O, Buddy and the others.

The plot twist at the end might be a bit off-putting for some, but, to me, it just added to the quality of the writing, directing, acting and drama.

This is a movie to be savored. Do not expect action, car crashes or surrealistice special effects. It's a film about real people facing real issues and doing their best to right some very bad wrongs.

Enjoy!

Stereotypes
There's something so "Plastic, Benjamin" about a scripted debate on race relations. Somebody tell John Sayles that drama comes first. His political inclinations are so important they blot out the sun. Remember, "To Tell a Mockingbird?" It never felt preachy. Why? Because Greg Peck had a meaty role and his position was clear. "This will not stand," a Lincolnesque moment. Chris Cooper is one sad sheriff trying to live up to his legendary dad. The town is a boiling pot of Anglo, Mexican and Afro-American potations. They shout at each other, they cuss, sort-of, but then they all sit around and express their feelings. Subtle, this ain't. That's why the movie feels like it's taking three hours to tell a ten-minute story. Who killed the bad sheriff? Kris Kristofoson is one of those redneck bad guy-racists that come out of Hollywood without motivation. This script won an academy award back in 96. There are incestuous stories, stereotypes, town histories intertwined, but I still can't figure if the sheriff and the schoolteacher can overcome that last revelation.

A Quiet Masterpiece...
...and one of my favorite films because of it's intermeshings of mood, plot and character. I have always considered that the American 'norm' is one frought with brutal people made into heroes because the history books tell us that they were heroes; also, that maybe's man truest nature is of brutality and cruelity...and history, again, washes things as clean as laundry done for Sunday morning. Anyhoo, that's what this movie speaks to, how brutality affects the Rio County area so much that many secrets have somehow bonded the folks living in this ant farm of a community. Note how there's a sub-theme of competition and struggle, man versus whatever (rattle snake skins, longhorn skulls, soldiers preparing for battle, the after hours gambling) where a 'winner' must be declared.' You will dig this one because it will have you thinking about it for a long time aferwards..

An Examination of History
Lone Star is about history and how history can either be a prison or how it can set us free. The characters in the movie start out bound by their history. Their histories, familial and cultural, determine a course of action for the characters living in present day Rio County. By the end of the movie, these characters have come to grips with their own personal history. Their personal history no longer dictates their actions.
Sam Deeds is the current sheriff of Rio County and is plagued by his legendary father, who also was a sheriff. Sam is a reluctant sheriff and was elected by the townspeople who hoped he would be like his father. Sam's investigation into the murder of Charley Wade is driven by his history with Buddy: he's not interested in learning the "truth" but instead to shatter the legendary status of his father. The revelations through his investigation help to form a more complete history of Buddy Deeds for Sam; he no longer has the skewed and inaccurate picture formed from his own personal experiences with Buddy Deeds.
Col. Delmore Payne works his way up through the structured institution of the U.S. Army as a way to forget his estrangement with his father. He tries to instill this discipline in Chet's (his son) life. Col. Payne wants to be a strong influencing force in his son's life to compensate for his father's lack of involvement in his own life. Chet develops his own relationship with Col. Payne's father, Otis, and thus brings Otis back into his father's life. By the end of the movie Col. Payne is beginning to form a relationship. Once he lets go of the history between him and his father, he becomes a more of a father and less of a disciplinarian to Chet.
Mercedes Cruz, mother of Pilar, is an immigrant from Mexico trying to free herself of her dirty Mexican past and assimilate into American culture. She has become the most successful Mexican-American businesswoman in the town. She owns a Mexican restaurant and always scolds her workers when they speak Spanish instead of English. She lives near the Mexican border and has a good view of Mexicans trying to cross the border illegally. Anytime she sees this, she calls the Border Patrol to report them. This is in direct contrast to her own past, where she crossed into the U.S. as an illegal immigrant. Her moment of "freedom" comes when she helps the fiancée of an employee. She breaks her leg trying to cross the river into the U.S. and Mrs. Cruz calls in a favor to a local doctor.
The romance between Sam and Pilar is the most controversial example of history colliding with present. Sam and Pilar were high school sweethearts and were reunited after Sam came back to Rio County. Through the course of his investigation into the murder of Charley Wade, Sam stumbles across some explosive history that could change their relationship permanently. This is controversial and sure to spark extreme opinions, but I think their final decision follows in the theme of the movie. They break free of the chains of history to try and forge ahead in the present. ... Read more

Reviews (123)

For Christopher Lee Fans And James Bond Enthusiasts Only
I was a fan of the James Bond films as a child and my interest in these films has recently returned to me. I don't believe "The Man With The Golden Gun" is the worst Bond film because this negative honor goes to either "Moonraker" or "A View To A Kill." I do feel, however, that it qualifies as the third worst one.

"The Man With The Golden Gun" has a lot of weaknesses. I don't know why Roger Moore was allowed to make seven Bond Films. Although Moore wasn't as weak as George Lazenby, he still comes across as being bland and mannequin-like. Timothy Dalton was a much more effective James Bond. If Dalton had been given better scripts and more time, he would have been nearly as effective as Sean Connery. Britt Ekland's Mary Goodnight rivals Tiffany ("Diamonds Are Forever") Case as the most ineffectual and irritating Bond woman. Maude Adams is more effective as Andrea Anders, the villain's long-suffering mistress, but this character is given too little screen time. A pre-"Fantasy Island" Herve Villechaize makes an awkward henchman. The return of Clifton James' J.W. Pepper character was also unnecessary.

The weaknesses of this movie also extend beyond the cast. An awesome car stunt is weakened by a poor sound effect. Tacky humor is woven throughout the entire film. The martial arts motif in part of the film also seemed out of place.

Christopher Lee is the saving grace of this film. If Lee weren't in this movie, I would have ranked it with "Moonraker" and "A View To A Kill." He is excellent as the egotistical and cruel Francisco Scaramanga. I am only sorry that the screenwriters didn't further develop this interesting character. Lee is one of the screen's greatest bad guys and can effectively play just about any villainous character. He is a much better actor and greater presence than Roger Moore. Lee's villain is more interesting than Moore's hero.

"The Man With The Golden Gun" is only for big Christopher Lee fans and those who feel that they need to see every James Bond film. A disappointment.

Good second Bond film for Moore
Roger Moore returns to the role of 007 in this excellent follow up to Live and Let Die. The film is certainly dependant on 007's evil counterpart, the hitman Francisco Scaramanga, played by Christopher Lee. He is the perfect match for Bond, which adds more excitement than any to the film. Bond finds himself racing to recover the Solex Agitator, which converts solar power to energy and has fallen into the hands of Scaramanga. There are very well done fight sequences and boat-car chases in hong kong and thailand. the redneck sherriff J.W. Pepper returns from Live and Let Die, but fails to provide the same humor as before. The film did try a little too hard to be funny like its preceding movie, thus it comes off a little cooky at some points. The Man with the Golden Gun Leads to an awesome climax in Scaramanga's island lair, where he and Bond face off in a "duel between titans", which also includes Scaramanga's servant Nick-Nack, a pint sized character who also tries to fool and beat Scaramanga in his deadly games of cat and mouse. With suspense, some humor, and exciting twists and turns, The Man with the Golden Gun is one Bond you won't want to miss!

Even Better Now in STEREO
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN is the "cult" Bond movie to end all "cult" Bond movies. I don't think many people realize that this DVD or even the VHS tape of this movie is in STEREO sound. John Barry's score sounds fantastic. As for the film, it is pure fantasy yet pure "Bond" and very misunderstood.

Last but not Least of Ian Fleming's Bonds...
This Bond, shot at a time when youthful science-fiction hadn't yet turned into narrow "science-faction" remains dreamy, elegant, distant, stylish, subjective, outlandish, an intelligent and romantic island of fantasy... The scenes are a pleasure for the eye, and the gadgets are still mind-tickling, as we haven't yet reached that depraved era of pseudo-scientific vulgar objectivity (as in the latter Bond series, for example)... nor do we have a cop-Bond, as with Timothy Dalton... neither a little tough-guy with piercing eyes, as in the Brosnan series... This Bond remains somehow between the Connery and Lazenby/Moore episodes, in that it has definitively a lot of style and class, yet includes some (controlled, soft-spun) action, a reasonable panoply of gadgetry, and a fair amount of cold-blooded British humour. In the end, the gently out-of-time atmosphere appears to be almost as much James West as it is James Bond.

In this almost Hamiltonian eerie, James appears pretty adventurous and humorous, yet moral, distinguished, self-detached, while he faces a spooky sophisticated darker-self in the person of three-nippled Scaramanga (Christopher Lee, alias Dracula), in a movie where even the villains appear to be somehow more gentleman-minded than the heroes of the latter Bond series (where ugly realism alas only too often ends up stealing the show). There's also a plenty of great exotic and scenic shots in Thailand and the Far-East, which somehow propel you in a world of dreams and fantasy. I especially liked the oblique sunken Queen Mary decorum, which seemed almost surrealistic, and the villain's den artifact-decorum somehow reminded me of the Wild Wild West TV-series, starring Robert Conrad.

It is a commonly acknowledged opinion that Gentlemen Prefer Bonds such as Goldfinger, Dr No and Thunderball, but Golden Gun could, with all reasonable fairness, also be included in some of those early and memorable old Bonds (vintage Connery or Lazenby). Note that this was actually the last Bond to feature the (by-now cherished) Harry Saltzman - Albert Broccoli collaboration, and this is today quite heavily felt, as the then following Bonds somehow all lacked the elegant, essential, gentlemanly, romantic and quirky sparks of those early Bonds (and matters seem to be getting only worse, if not clearly out of hand) (James Bond as another victim of the modern-age?).

The Man With A Golden Gun was also the last Bond movie to be based on a true and authentic Ian Fleming novel. Well, maybe those die-hard Bond-movie-makers will one day (tomorrow? another day?) realize that the Fleming reservoir has been tapped unto the last droplet, instead of just killing time with more and more flawed episodes... Goodnight boys and girls (Britt Ekland was, by the way, one of the most memorable and gently-subtle Bond-girl), that was it for Ian Fleming's Bond... which was to be followed by the Hun's invasion of Vin Diesel and consort, fast, furious and brutal (to say the least)...

An Intensely Groovy Theatre of The Bizzare
Folks, listen to me: This is the best Bond movie ever made, and Roger Moore is the best Bond. You can argue, but chew on this, Admiral Skeptic: Name one movie that Sean Connery made that had a midget, a flying car, a giant laser, and Bond threatening to blow a man's genitals off with a rifle. That's right; there aren't any. Checkmate, Connery.

This film is a brilliantly surreal entry into the Bond series. It's a clear departure from Connery's films, where he had to stop the KGB from destroying the world. Moore is called in to stop an overpaid hitman and his midget from selling solar power to the UN (or something similar.) Adapted as I am for describing awesomeness, I can't begin to describe this film's grovvy factor, but I can tell you it's somewhere between ChocoTacos and regular tacos. ... Read more

Description

Oscar® winner* Yul Brynner turns in a "great performance" (Los Angeles Herald Times) as a smooth master gunfighter who must do battle with his most formidable adversary – his own conscience – in this gripping, double-barreled western full of blistering shootouts, surprise twists and colorful villainy. In a New Mexico frontier town, Jules Gaspard d'Estaing (Brynner) is hired by the town's boss (Pat Hingle) to kill Matt Weaver (George Segal), a Civil War veteran who returns to reclaim his farm and his woman. But when d'Estaing realizes that Weaver may be the only honest man left, the conflicted hired gun must either kill an innocent man – or destroy his own reputation – in a heart-stopping final showdown. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Yul Brynner is Magnificent
If you liked Yul Brynner in "The Magnificent Seven" you will love him in this movie. Brynner is cool as they come. This is a great western and should be on DVD.

The Civil Rights movement goes West
This movie made me a Yul Brynner fan. I'd watched him many times in other movies, but I'd never seen a movie just because Yul Brynner was in it. Now I feel it is time to review this fine gentleman's career. I've been a movie fan for over forty years and appreciate a good Western, yet somehow this film had escaped me. Its release date (1964) places it in a volatile period within and beyond the movie industry. For Westerns, John Wayne rules, but A Fistfull of Dollars is just around the corner. Invitation is therefore free of the Italian influence, but Yul takes the no-name, silent gunman to the extreme in the first part of the film. He is mystic, mesmerizing, mysterious, and muy macho in this role! As his character slowly reveals himself, he loses his invulnerability and where it leads, no other Hollywood leading man could have pulled this off. Bravo, Yul!
And brave,too. 1964 was a year of many troubled civil rights freedom marches and sit-ins. How this film played at the time and how many fans might react would certainly make this a risky venture. The story involves interracial love, bigotry, and even a one-man riot and looting scene. All in all, Yul Brynner carries this movie. Masterfully using just a look rather than unnecessary dialog, he brings depth and rich characterization to his role. And with that, powerful empathy to an overall theme of justice, respect, and equality.
On a minor note, in an area often inaccurate in Westerns, this movie matches the guns to the era. The setting is 1865, and the pistols and rifles look authentic for the time. I also was curious about what might be in those two little bags of luggage Brynner carries with him as apparently his only possessions. They remain with him to the end and effectively add to his mysterious persona.

More than a "Western"...
This skilfully crafted screenplay gives the viewer far more than gunplay, it is a biting social comentary as relavent today as it was when it was made. Brynner is at his best turning the hypocrissy, cowardice and dirty secrets of the small New Mexico town that hired him to kill it's only "reb" to it's destruction, and gives an uncomfortably open view of our society. Excellent dialogue and acting by George Seagal and Janice Rule, as well as the town "capons" lead by Pat Hingle.

My dad's childhood
I bought this set as a father's day gift. We both go to toy shows and this set is a great collection of the toys of his childhood.Great detail is shown with each piece.A child of any age would enjoy these great replicas from the past.

Invitation to a Gunfighter
Yul Brynner will always be remembered for his great parts.However, this particular movie he plays exceptionally well portraying the greed and pathetic apathy of how some people viewed the dollar bill.I believe thisreveals Yul to how he saw greed in the world. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

Based on the novel by William Faulkner, THE REIVERS tells the story of a young boy who leaves home and sets out on a journey with his best friend and Boon Hogganbeck (McQueen), his family’s handyman.During the trip from Jefferson to Memphis, the trio learns some valuable life lessons. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Reivers
In 1969 I was introduced to a movie that changed me.I wasn't sure what I wanted to be when I grew up and at 16, having the imagery and music of the Reivers wash over me convinced me that I wanted to become a filmmaker.
The Narration of Burgess Meredith, the superb acting of Will Geer, the side of Steve McQueen that we hadn't seen often enough and the introduction of new young actor Mitch Vogel make this a well rounded movie experience.The supporting cast of Sharon Farrell, Michael Constantine and Oscar nominated Rupert Crosse give the characters and story true life.Add the souring yet folksy score of John Williams, the stunning cinematography of Richard Moore and you have the complete experience that takes you back to Mississippi in the early 1900s and reminds you why you go to the movies in the first place.

A Great Faulkner Classic
William Faulkner was one of America's greatest authors.His Pulitzer Prize winning works are renowned for his ability to capture, with affection and fascination, the culture and people of Mississippi...Southerners of allcolor, class, and gender.Many of Faulkner's stories evoke a somber toneof Southern Gothic tragedy based on his observations of racial intolerance,and the decline of traditional Southern values before the forces of greedand modernization.In contrast to his more serious works, "TheReivers" is light-hearted, comic, and thoroughly entertaining.

Themovie captures, with rich authenticity, the colorful characters ofFaulkner's Mississippi.The cinematography and music evoke the sites andsounds of a picturesque South in 1905.The cast, includingnarration byBurgess Meredith, is impeccable.The movie centers on the joyridingadventures of 11-year old Lucius McCaslin, his cousin Boon Hogganback(Steve McQueen) and their black relation (Rupert Crosse).The storyinvolves a stolen car, a 4-day odyssey from northern Mississippi to the`red light" district of Memphis, a horse race, and the life-changingexperiences of young Lucius.Will Geer, as Lucius' grandfather"Boss," offers a memorable performance when he confronts theyoung boy with his misdeeds, proving again that the word is mightier thanthe hand.William Faulkner would be proud of this movie.

Don't Forget John Williams' Best Ever Score
Like the cinematography, the beauty and details are exquisite.While you're at it try the book too, Faulkner's sweetest.

Poignant, coming of age film to delight audiences all ages.
The Reivers is a purely entertaining film about a young boy who is introduced to an adult world at the turn of the century.Perfectly cast and well- written, this film is sure to delight all audiences. SteveMcQueen is at his best, and Mitch Vogel will win your heart.Pureenjoyment!

Wonderful movie
Very well casted. Cinematography is great and so is sound track. Strong performances from all actors. I especially liked Will Geer as the grandfather. The story is always engaging and never drags. Greatentertainment for all ages. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

An Unsung Classic
Directed by Hal Ashby, who made such powerful commentaries on life in America as SHAMPOO, COMING HOME, BEING THERE and the cult-favorite HAROLD AND MAUDE, THE LAST DETAIL offers the story of three U.S. Navy sailors on a toot--and at the time of its 1973 release it was chiefly noted as the most profane film to achieve a mainstream release. The passage of time has dimmed that profanity's bite, but nothing can dim the power of its performances, it's darkly funny story, or the director's bitter vision of both life in the Navy and the urban decay of 1970s America.

Two Navy-lifers (Jack Nicholson and Otis Young) are ordered to escort a young sailor (Randy Quaid) to a military prison, where he will do eight years followed by dishonorable discharge for attempting to steal a charity jar containing forty dollars. Once the trip gets underway, they realize the young sailor is essentially an innocent--and they set out to show him a good time before he is locked away. And their idea of a good time ranges from a bout of hard drinking in a hotel room to a brawl in a men's restroom to an evening with New York hookers. Along the way, Nicholson and Young gradually realize that they are just as much in prison as Quaid will soon be--victims of their own ennui, serving out their sentences in a military that fosts coarseness, frustration, and mindless machisimo as a matter of course.

The performances are excellent throughout. This was the film that launched Nicholson to stardom--but it is also a film that allows us to see what Nicholson could do before he became immured in the trappings of his own fame and collapsed into self-characture: he is every bit as good here as he would be in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST and CHINATOWN. Otis Young, an actor whose career never quite took off, is Nicholson's equal here, balancing Nicholson's excesses with his no less firey but considerably more commonsense role. And Randy Quaid scores an equally memorable performance as the young sailor, while Carol Kane gives a memorable turn as one of the hookers they encounter in their travels. Watch closely and you'll also discover a very young Gilda Radner as a member of a religious cult.

In spite of the noteriety it received upon release, like many of the best films of the 1970s THE LAST DETAIL has fallen through the cracks to become a largely unsung classic. Fashion changed, and with the advent of Ronald Regan, the stock market boom, and two decades of heavy-handed materialism Americans abandoned their cinematic realism and social statement in favor of big budget, special effects heavy, and largely escapist film. But the pendulum inevitably swings back, and now that we face serious issues both at home and abroad such films as THE LAST DETAIL are at last, perhaps, beginning to come into their own. Strongly recommended.

You Can See Different Worlds When You Join the Navy
Jack Nicholson is a performer with the rare ability to completely immerse himself in a chosen role and convince the audience of the stark reality of his performance. Playing Navy Signalman First Class Billy "Badass" Buddusky in Hal Ashby's 1973 film rendition of Darryl Ponicsan's novel, "The Last Detail" is a sterling example of that uncommon talent. Rough-edged but understanding, crude but compassionate, Buddusky and fellow "lifer" Gunner's Mate First Class "Mule" Mulhall (skillfully portrayed by Otis Young) are "detailed" as armed Shore Patrol guards to escort a young sailor, Larry Meadows (Randy Quaid) from Norfolk, Va. to a naval prison in Portsmouth, NH in order to serve an eight-year sentence after being convicted at a court-martial of petty theft. The five-day journey northward is an adventure for all three. Sympathizing with Meadows's plight, apprised of his utter naivete and realizing his sentence far exceeds the severity of the offense, Buddusky and Mulhall conduct their version of a cram course in traditional male rights of passage--ranging from a drunken spree in Washington, D.C. to duking it out with Marines in New York City and getting their charge sexually initiated with a Boston prostitute--if for no other reason than to give him some taste of what he will not be experiencing for a long time and to teach him in some small way to assert himself as an individual. The novel and the film (which was released almost immediately after the book hit the racks) was initially hailed as a polemic against what many believed was the cold indifference of the military establishment. However, since that time, it has been judged more a compelling "slice of life" drama about the complexities of everyday human behavior and how it is shaped by our own decisions and by entities beyond our immediate purview. And, more importantly, it forces us to think about how our ever-more-complicated society is increasingly unable to find ways to help its young people constructively mark transition into adulthood. END

Yo-Di-Lo-Di-Lo-Yeh-Dee-Hooooooooo!!!!
Ohhh, Jack! How hard you make it for your fans to decide which one of your films is the best. This one ai'nt restricted to the navy, but to any enlisted U.S. serviceman, past, present or future. If only the chaser duties I did from Ft Bragg to Camp Lejeune were this classic....

SIMPLY THE BEST
When I first saw this great film I was living in Australia and this was my first taste of east coast 70"s USA in winter and it was spot on.Since then I have spent many a long cold winter in Pa ,thats why I now live happily in Fla. Other reviewers have told the story of the film really well but I feel that this was easily Nicholsons best as he nails every scene without smothering his two "shipmates: .I will turn on this masterpiece of real life just to see a certain scene when I have the time.The beginning; " when you"re in the navy , and you"re in transit no one knows where the f--k you are, so go tell the M A A to go f--k himself." or to relive the bar scene where Nicholson loses it when the bartender refuses to serve the kid as they try to show him a good time before he goes to the brig for 8 years.Yes it is certainly a film that ranks with the greats , I watch it regularly and I strongly recommend it to anyone 17 years and older.

For Every Navy Enlisted Man (or Person)

If you've ever been (or are) a U.S. Navy Petty Officer, you have to see this movie. It is the most true-to-life depiction of life as a sailor ever put on the screen. The daily grind, the trudging through the system as lifers, then the highs of getting out and going crazy; it's all here in perfect detail, acted with perfect intonation by all three leads.

Other Amazon reviewers have commmented on the language of the characters, making the constant profanity out to be a kind of social or emotional statement. Believe me (as a six-year veteran and first class petty officer, in the Navy just about when this movie was made), there is nothing in this script that has not been said by every sailor every day in every routine situation; it's just the common argot of every enlisted man who ever served in the U.S. Navy -- not a social statement. In fact, I wonder how Towne got it so perfect. Even the detail of Nicholson's character (who is a Signalman) talking across the room by waving his fingers as signal flags is right on; I remember seeing every signalman I ever knew doing the same thing.

If you were ever in the enlisted Navy, you must see this movie. It'll bring it all rushing back. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An outstanding thriller!
Like many of the other reviewers, this was a film that I recalled with great fondness.
I had seen it when I was younger...not even a teenager...but I remember loving it.
I had been looking for it forEVER when I read that it was being released on DVD.
I happily popped it in my DVD player and put my feet up.

You know how some movies are not NEARLY as good as you once thought? They're not as funny, not as scary, often plain stupid.

Well I'm happy to report that this film is terrific. It STILL raises the blood pressure, and will still having you guessing by the end.

Richard Harris plays the quasi-heroic bomb defuser, Omar Sharif the beleaguered captain and a young Anthony Hopkins has a one-note performance as a stressed out Scotland Yarder.
Roy Kinnear is a painful hoot as the Ship's Steward (think Julie on the Love Boat) who tries to raise everyone's spirits EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THERE'S BOMBS ON THE SHIP.
Trying to get everyone to sing along to "Roll Out The Barrel"? Priceless.

The script is spare but witty. I loved the comment about "A Night To Remember".

This is among the best "disaster" movies ever made, and a terrific thriller.

Overlooked Disaster Film of 1974 showcases British Actors
A taught tense adventure of a mad bomber who holds an oceanliner for ransom after he plants a series of bombs aboard. The villian is known, as each bomb has a signiture style. Richard Harris leads the team who attempt to defuse the bombs, only somewhat successful. As the countdown continues, the tension mounts, and it becomes more a cat and mouse game between the bomber and the police expert as they debate whether to cut the red or the blue wire. The final minutes are excrusiating.

I saw this on the big screen in 1974 and could convince no one to go to a free showing in Lansing, Michigan with me on a Sunday afternoon. An overlooked gem, I recall this film fondly. The plot is somewhat predictable, but Richard Harris is surrounded with major British actors who give good support to this tension filled adventure. Try it. It has to be better than any of the US dissaster picts of the period.

Great DVD Of A Little Known Gem
Those of you wanting to upgrade your old VHS copies of Richard Lester's taut little thriller should now do so: MGM has given Juggernaut a sterling DVD transfer, in 1.66:1 widescreen, with good color balance and nary a blemish in sight (ah, the wonders of digital restoration). Hardly any edge enhancement either, as far as I can see. Way to go MGM!

David Hemmings (1941-2003) R.I.P.

Juggernaut
i have been hunting this movie for many years.. i finally had a chance at a beaten up copy from my local video shop and was about to buy it when i found it on amazon.com in dvd format..

its an awsome thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire movie..

i would reccomend it to anyone who likes the disaster move genre..

At last I have found you!
I originally saw this in the theater when it first came out, and several times on TV. Unfortunately it seems to have disappeared from network programming, and my local video store both.
This was one of the most intense "cat and mouse" type thillers of it's day. The battle of wits between Fallon (R. Harris) and the bomber will keep your eyes locked on the screen to keep from missing anything. The plot and storyline are as intricate as the bombs themselves.
If you enjoyed the more recent movie "Blown Away" then you will enjoy this one. Blown Away used many of the same techniques developed in Juggernaut, and is the logical film decendant of this classic. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Perfect
I'm not going to write a lot leaving that to others.

"The Iceman Cometh" is good writing, good acting and fun.

It questions life in a light way.

It's wonderfully uncertain regarding meanings.

If you haven't seen it, see it.

It's terriffic.

SOLID ACTING; AND ONE REVELATION!
I originally saw this many years ago wondering what Lee Marvin was doing in such a high brow production and was rewarded with a memorable experience and new respect for the actors involved. I was surprised to find Fredric March in this. A movie star from the early days of the sound era, a two tme Oscar winner, I always knew March was a good and well respected actor, and there were two times when he shocked me and I realised HOW good he was: one was the original A STAR IS BORN where his performance surpassed the era it came from, playing more modern amidst the hokum and phony sentimentality that surrounded everything else in the picture, giving the film a lasting relevancy; the other was INHERIT THE WIND, where I was all geared up to watch Spencer Tracy in a great role and wound up picking my jaw off the floor at March in the Brady role. No Academy nomination, no lasting hossanahs, was anybody else aware of what March was doing here? Well his performance here surpasses those two. Amazing how his acting style kept changing, permitting him to give relevant performances for over forty years in quality films. His work here is fully shaded and from an aesthetic viewpoint, a joy to watch. But even his performance is not the outstanding one in the picture. That honor goes to Robert Ryan. ROBERT RYAN??!!??!! Always a solid performer, whether playing the hard-bitten good guy or the hard-bitten bad guy (usually), there is nothing in his canon of work that will prepare you for the magnitude or the depth of his performance here. Who knew there was a giant, and I do mean GIANT, talent lurking in that lean boxer frame. It will make you angry, and sad, that his talent was barely scratched in all those movies. But it is ultimately a blessing that in this, his last film, he was able to get a role that would utilize his full range as an actor. An incredible revelation. Since these AFT productions only played for 2 screenings, they fell under the radar of the Academy Awards' stipulation that a film must play for a week to be eligible for nominations, which is why you won't see any of these AFT productions in the Academy books on excellence. Marvin doesn't hit the mark of these two performances, but he is very good, at times excellent. Tough going, but a rewarding, memorable experience..

Acting tour de force
All the performances in this film are excellent. A fine example of cohesive ensemble playing. Lee Marvin has been described by various critics as being miscast as Hickey. I suppose this is based upon comparisons with Robards. I haven't seen any other versions of this play but I think Marvin's performance is fine. Certainly Ryan and March are brilliant and for these two performances this video is worth owning. For those of you who have seen this version on TV in the past note: this is the 4 hour uncut version rarely seen outside of the original season of 1973. Only O'Neill can sustain drama over such a long time. You Americans should be proud of him he was a genius and this is his masterpiece.

The Iceman Cometh
This excellent production directed by John Frankenhimer was part of the 1973 American Film Theater series of plays shown in theaters by subscription. This exceptional cast headed by Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Frederic March and a very young Jeff Bridges captures O'Neill's disillusioned band of "pipe dreamers" to a tee. Lee Marvin is especially impressive and dispells the tough guy image in a finely textured and layered performance. I recommend this as well as the 1960 Jason Robards production, also available on VHS and DVD.

YOUNG LEE MARVIN SHINES
All fourteen AMERICAN FILM THEATER productions have been rediscovered and restored. Collection One features: Lee Marvin in Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh"; Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel in Eugene Ionesco's "Rhinoceros"; Alan Bates in Simon Grey's "Butley"; Susannah York and Glenda Jackson in Jean Genet's "The Maids" and Stacy Keach and Judi Dench in John Osborne's "Luther".

AFT was the brainchild of producer Ely Landau, who believed a great segment of the movie audience wanted "think and feel." This superior collection of modern plays is performed with superb talents at the peak of their powers. Lee Marvin is a wonder in "The Iceman Cometh" and it's wonderful seeing Wilder and Mostel (The Producers) reunited in the metaphorically puzzling Rhinoceros. For me, the most electrifying of all is Keach and Dench in "Luther". This one is more timely than ever.

This brilliant, first collection of six DVD titles is highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Lee Remick, Ross Martin and Glen Ford were all fantastic.
The Movie kepted me on the edge of my seat the whole time. From the very second Ross Martin started to stalk Lee Remick under a shadowed light so you couldn't tell who he was. To the very end of the movie. The script was fantasic, and was fit just perfect to a real life situation that might just really happen.Ross Martin did a really good job playing a stalker. Lee Remick played a really good victim, and Glen Ford played an excellent detective. The film was directed great, the lighting was wonderful. Blake Edwards Did a great job. The title " Experiment in Terror" was even perfect. I am an actor and a cinamatographer, and to me this movie showed every thing a great film should. To me this is a film that'll never be forgotten.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
From the moment this movie starts, with Henry Mancini's simply outstanding main theme, EXPERIMENT IN TERROR is a marvelously crafted thriller. By now, we're so used to non-stop action, gunplay, screaming, fx, etc., we forget that the key to a good thriller is to thrill by suggesting rather than showing the violence. This one kicks in right away as lovely and talented Lee Remick is confronted by an asthmatic maniac (Ross Martin, best known for Wild Wild West) who wants her to rob the bank where she works, or he'll kill her and her lovely sister (Stefanie Powers in one of her first roles). Glenn Ford, one of our most overlooked actors, plays the FBI agent who struggles to help Lee catch this crook. Anita Loos as Martin's current snooze is also very good in showing the conflict she feels toward the benefactor of her ailing son.
Blake Edwards, who will receive an honorary Oscar this year, directs with a haunting malevolence, and then again, there's that Mancini theme...still gives me chills!

It's about time for this movie to get it's due.
I consider this to be one of my faith movies. I just buy it on faith that it's good, and it hasn't disappointed me. It's very effective in the black and white. The music scores are stellar too, and to choose the Twin Peaks section of San Francisco as the beginning of the movie is asking for thrills, and chills. Go potty before watching the movie, and gauruntees to make boy/girlfriends to cuddle close, or your money back. Stars a very foxy Lee Remick who is accosted by a psycho with asthma who threatens her with her life if she doesn't steal money from the bank she works at; and HE'S NOT FOLLOWING AROUND!!! Right after he leaves her she calls the FBI, and speaks with Glenn Ford, but the killer hasn't gone far, and he grabs the phone which is now the serious of the situation, and it's going to get more juicy as Lee now wants to cooperate with FBI, and her bank, and at the same time protect her sister played by 19 year old Stephanie Powers. She's harassed by many people who may be this killer, but Lee doesn't know, so she has no choice, but to play this psycho's game, and is drug all over San Francisco. This guy is just dedicated to getting his way, and he pulls all the stops to do the job even dressing as an old lady to kidnap Stephanie, and I can't help if this is where Nelly got the inspiration for the song "Hot In Herre" as he makes her take off her clothes. The climax comes at the end as Lee ends up making the meeting with the money at Candlestick Park. It's hard-fisted in your face till you smell the garlic on the breath action until the very end, and reeks of sinister thrills. Reminder: Go To Potty Before The Movie Starts. It may be dated, but it's still a heart pounding thriller, and one of my all time favorites. If Hollywood has any brains don't remake this. Nothing will ever hold a candle to this 1962 version.

Thrilling masterpiece
This is a masterpiece of suspence, you never know what's going to happen next. And the music, the music just enhance it all. What a movie. I haven't seen many movies like this.

I'm so pleased
I have always been very satisfied with the service from this company, and to date, I still am. I received my movie in a timely manner, and it was in perfect condition. :) ... Read more

Description

A poignant and moving story about two emotionally disturbed teenagers who fall in love in an institution. Interactive Menus, Filmographies & awards, Scene Access, Production Credits ... Read more

Amazon.com

An almost absurdly star-studded cast brings to life Horton Foote's storyof prejudice, violence, and frustrated love in The Chase. WhenBubber Reeves (Robert Redford) escapes from prison, a drunken party in hishometown turns into a vigilante mob. The news disrupts the birthdaycelebration of a local oil tycoon (E.G. Marshall), whose son (James Fox)is having an affair with Reeves's wife Anna (Jane Fonda). Meanwhile, a bankvice-president (Robert Duvall) knows his wife (Janice Rule) is cheating onhim but can't do anything about it except spread a little misery. Thesheriff (Marlon Brando) struggles to hold things together until he canpersuade Reeves to give himself up. The accents are thick and the emotionsseem overwrought at first, but director Arthur Penn (Bonnie &Clyde, Little Big Man) weaves the multiple storylines togetherinto an unsettling finale. Also featuring Angie Dickinson and MiriamHopkins. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Ballad of Sheriff Calder--and/or Redneck Town USA
I realize I gave this flick 4 stars--but I also have to say that Brando gets the highest rating of 5 stars. This film could have been greater than it was...and it just may bother you for that reason. One of my problems is that it was shot on some studio backlot (probably Universal, as the set looks a lot like the set used for Back to the Future) the other weakness is Robert Redford. You want to see how great Brando was in everything he did? Just try to compare what he does with what others do? Your eyes are always drawn to him, no