Description

The railroad's got to run through the town of Rock Ridge.How do you drive out the townfolk in order to steal their land?Send in the toughest gang you've got...and name a new sheriff who'll last about 24 hours.But that's not really the plot of Blazing Saddles, just the pretext.Once Mel Brooks' lunatic film many call it his best gets started, logic is lost in a blizzard of gags, jokes, quips, puns, howlers, growlers and outrageous assaults upon good taste or any taste at all.Cleavon Little as the new lawman, Gene Wilder as the wacko Waco Kid, Brooks himself as a dimwitted politico and Madeline Kahn in her Marlene Dietrich send-up that earned an Academy Award nomination all give this sagebrush saga their lunatic best.And when Blazing Saddles can't contain itself at the finale, it just proves the Old West will never be the same! ... Read more

Reviews (207)

The Quintessential Comedy Movie
I love this movie! From the opening scene, where Cleavon Little sings the negro work song, "I Get a Kick Outta You", ala Nat King Cole, and he is corrected by the white men shoing him how to sing "Camptown Ladies", to the absurd surrealist ending (when was the last time you've seen a movie burst out of the movie, this is beautiful comedy.

Sight gags flying by at the speed of light, you will have to watch it hundreds of times to get them all, one liners that would make the Marx Brothers proud ("Bart, I heard you was hung." "You heard right!) This is absurdist comedy at is best (A toll booth on the William J LaPetomaine Freeway). The Mel Brooks choreography is wonderful when Lili Von Schtup sings "I'm Tired." When was the last time you saw German Soldiers tango with their rifles. This movie is filled frame to frame with humor, and no one gets away not insulted (Okay, we'll take the Irish too!)

The cast was perfection, either just over the top, or way over the top Harvey Korman is hilarious as the nefarious Hedley Lamarr. Cleavon Little is fantastic as he makes fun of his own stereotypes, it is absolutely one of the funniest movies ever made by humans on the planet earth.

Until a Special Edition comes along ...
... this will have to do. But that ain't all bad.

Politically incorrect and loving it, "Blazing Saddles" holds up as a comedy nearly 30 years after its release, and maybe even has gotten funnier as Americans get more uptight. Heaven help us if we lose our ability to laugh at the outrageous.

And while the bathroom humor (and the campfire scene) gets all the notice, there are some very subtle jokes in the film, such as the "laurel and hardy handshake" and "Thank you, Van."

As for extras ... there's not much. A trailer, both widescreen and cropped versions, and an monologue by Mel Brooks that plays over the first half of the movie. It's not scene-specific, but it's worth listening to. For instance, Gene Wilder wasn't even supposed to be in the movie. To find out who was, and why Wilder got the part ... listen to the interview.

This film cries out for a special edition. A scene-specific commentary by Brooks and co-writers Andrew Bergman and Richard Pryor. A making-of documentary. The scenes that were edited into the TV version of the movie (like the diving scene and the governor's visit to the fake Rock Ridge)...

Tasteless But Funny
Plays like an ennactment of one of those tasteless joke books set to a Western theme. Not for everyone. Even fans of this sort of thing have to be in a certain mood.

The funniest western ever made
Cleavon Little plays a black railroad worker condemend to death for assaulting his white foreman. At the last minute he is reprieved by the governor who has the devious idea of making him sheriff of Rock Ridge, a town the governor wants destroyed so they can run the railroad through the area, he thinks a black sheriff will finish the town off. When Little arrives in Rock Ridge he is nearly lynched by the outratged inhabitants but manages to outwit them. Safe in the sheriff's office, he finds the town drunk (Gene Wilder) just waking up in the cells, and they strike up a friendship. Together they set about the task of winning over the folk of Rock Ridge ("simple, wholesome, country folk - you know, morons" as Wilder says), and trying to save the town from destruction. This blissfuly funny film is packed with hilarious episodes. There's the wonderful scene where Little, asked to sing a negro song, obliges with 'I get a kick out of you', the scene where he arrives in Rock Ridge, there's Madelein Khan's hilarious Marlene Dietrich impersonation, the wonderful scene where Little and Wilder infiltrate the baddies' gang disguised as Klu Klux Klan members, and my favourite scene of all, the bit where the townsfolk, asked to give some land to the minority groups who are to help them build the fake town, reply "All right, we'll give some land to the niggers and the chinks, but we DON'T want the irish!" The film is utterly delightful, with hilarious performances from all concerned. There's just one thing that I wonder about. Cleavon Little is such a wonderful comic actor, not to mention being drop-dead gorgeous as well, why has so little been seen of him since this film was made? Never mind, if you're only going to be famous for one film, this is a great one to be remembered for.

Even the "Making-of" was recycled!
Five stars for the movie itself as well as the presentation. The movie looks and sounds great.

BUT--- as noted by many, the "30th Anniversary Edition" supplements are basically a hack job. This is easily one of the most influential comedies of all-time, it deserved to really be given the Special Edition treatment.

The "Commentary" is not a traditional commentary at all; not only is it simply the audio from a 55 minute interview with Brooks, it was issued on the previous dvd. This has been mentioned by many reviewers.

What hasn't been as well-reported is that even the half-hour retrospective doc has been recycled. The "Back in the Saddle" program, which is admittedly a decent if unspectacular show, was previously issued on the 2001 VHS edition! Basically, this featurette was issued on the 27th Anniversary video cassette release. Yes, this is the first time it has appeared on dvd, but still a rather lazy choice.

The "Additional Scenes" are, somewhat annoyingly, not accessible scene-by scene. They play as one approx. 10-minute piece. These scenes were added to the TV broadcast version. It's nice to have them, though most of them are shown in the "Back in the Saddle" featurette.

The only other significant supplement is the "Black Bart" pilot episode. This 24-minute show is a real curiousity, a great archival piece even though the show itself is excruciatingly BAD. Still, its interesting viewing, and very easy on the eyes. This show, quite simply, looks amazing! Very well preserved.

There are a couple other bits, like the trailer and an excerpt from a Madeline Kahn documentary (only about 4 minutes or so).

Really, all things considered, Warner really dropped the ball on the supplementals for this edition. The movie itself looks fantastic and the new 5.1 mix isn't anything special but it sounds better than the old disc. The movie is what really counts, and in that area the presentation can hardly be faulted. But in the end, they didn't actually produce any NEW supplemental material for this set. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Sheer delight
For my money this is Blake Edwards' most enjoyable movie. I've viewed it perhaps a dozen times, and its combination of a peerless cast, fine songs, supremely witty script and sure-footed direction make this a real gem that I will never tire of watching.

Robert Preston (in a role originally intended for Peter Sellers) practically steals the show as Toddy, a gay nightclub perfomer in 1930s Paris. Preston's vitality and charisma make the character of Toddy so warm, humorous and believable that he feels like an old friend by the end of the movie. What a shame Preston made so few films! (We do, however, have his memorable aoppearance in SOB - another Edwards triumph - to be grateful for.)

Julie Andrews is perfectly cast, with her distinctive voice and seemingly ageless face and figure all contributing to a convincing portrayal of a supposed female impersonator. The rapport between her and Preston is a joy to behold, and one can only applaud their classy professionalism.

The rest of the cast is top-notch, and the film reunites Julie Andrews with James Garner 18 years after their first movie together, the 1964 Americanization of Emily. Garner shows a fine comic touch - as always - and Lesley Ann Warren is inimitable as his supremely irritating ex-girlfriend.

The film positively overflows with 1930s Parisian atmosphere and sophistication. In short, Victor/Victoria is a real treat that offers a little something for everybody.

Essential viewing.

Le Jazz Hot!
Although he has just recieved an honorary Oscar, Blake Edwards is often looked upon as a purvayer of low comedy. Although he is the genius behind such sparkling classics as The (original) Pink Panther and Breakfast at Tiffanys, many people frown upon him for his later films such as S.O.B., Blind Date and Switch (let's not mention the post-Sellars Panthers). Victor / Victoria falls, chronologically, between the two sets of films and, in my view, is Edwards at his peak.
Edwards directs his wife Julie Andrews (never better and that includes being a nanny and a nun), in a tale of a [woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman]. The central plot serves as an excellent backbone on which to hang a wonderfully farcical script, some hilarious set-pieces and the fantastic song-and-dance numbers (Bricuse and Mancini's score makes you wish they'd worked together more often).
Andrews, as I say, is flawless coming somewhere between the innocence of Poppins and the lewdness of S.O.B. and giving a fantastic performance. From under her very nose though, the film is stolen by the ever-watchable Robert Preston as Toddy. Preston brings great depth and love to a part that could quite easily have been, as he is refered to in the film, 'a pathetic old queen'. James Garner commendably plays the straight-man (in more ways than one!) with a twinkle in his eye and Lesley Ann Warren hilariously chews every bit of scenery she lays her hands on.
The script, which bears Edwards' name as a co-writer, is as witty and moving as anything written in Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the musical elements have as much vibrancy as MGM's in their hey-day. Musical highlights include Le Jazz Hot and The Shady Dame from Seville (not to mention the riotous reprise as performed by Preston for the films finale). One-liners don't come much better than "A lot of men can't get it ... up to now, you've been fine", "You look like a raccoon" (you need to see it) and the entire scene in the restaurant that leads to the line "It is a moron who takes advice from a horse's arse" (Edwards regular Graham Stark at his dead-pan best).
The extras on the DVD are limited to trailers and a commentary. The commentary by Edwards and Andrews is informative, if a little disappointing considering the wildness of the film and mainly consists of Edwards enjoying watching the film and Andrews making sure that all of the on and off-screen talent is name-checked.
A real unsung gem that deserves to be seen as often as possible. Tell your friends!

JULIE ANDREWS! A LEGEND!
I remember sitting through it in 1983 in the theatre with Mama and Grandmother. We all LOVED it. With Poppins, Maria and Gertrude; Julie`s Victor/Victoria is HER BEST effort on celluloid. Leslie Ann-Warren, James Garner, Robert Preston, Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini & Leslie Bricusse ALL excell in this comedy. It may be a trifle long and the Hercule Poirot-imitation unnecessary; but it really is the last of the GREAT MGM MUSICALS(although it was shot i England, released by MGM). The set-designs are a treasure 2 behold.

One Big Riot
There is one word that best describes this film, and it's RIOT. The film is one big and grand RIOT. The cockroach-instigated riot scene in the restaurant is memorable. Mr Edwards shot this from the outside so that we get to see a third-person view of what is going on inside through the windows. Also, look at that RIOTY performance by Leslie Ann Warren: the scene where she walks down the train aisle spurting out vehement %$&*$# should be made a classic!! Again, this was shot using a third-person view so that we see inside the train windows but never actually hear her. The film delights in its RIOTS, we get the feeling that it makes fun of its characters in this way, albeit a tender way.
But beneath all the film's RIOTS, is a warm heart (highlighted by Henry Mancini's score.) This warm-hearted attitude transcends even through all those nightclub brawls; and I believe that without this formula, the film might not have been able to handle the issue of homosexuality so well. Excellent performances by Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston (in a delicious drag queen finale,) Leslie Ann Warren (show stealer) and the whole cast. The musical numbers are also winners. Certainly not for the Lazy Afternoon viewing, but for the Friday/Saturday night film. To those who are offended by gay contents, be warned, the film insists. This is one GAY & RIOTY film.

Blake Edwards - Musical Gender Bending At It's Best!
This is most definitely musical gender-bending at it's best!

Not many musical/comedies are produced nowadays, let alone good ones like Rocky Horror Picture Show & Little Shop Of Horrors to name a few that come to my mind.

This 80's musical/comedy is set in 1934 GAY and I DO MEAN GAY Paree! This film is quite unparalled in the fact that Victor/Victoria was a movie BEFORE it made it to The Great White Way. Julie Andrews played Victor/Victoria in both movie and on stage.

Great songs in - Julie's "Le Jazz Hot" & Lesley Warren's bimboesque "Kings Can-Can". The sexual chemistry is A+++ between Andrews & a sexually confused James Garner who plays "King Marchand" a Chicago club owner, who is so TOTALLY out of his element in Paris, let alone being sexually frustrated and confused over his crush on the beautiful, stylish and gay, Victor.

Great cast, great songs and a greater storyline with lots of slapstick comedy make Victor/Victoria a classic of it's time!

Happy Watching! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Mel Brooks scored his first commercial hit with this raucous Western spoof starring the late Cleavon Little as the newly hired (and conspicuously black) sheriff of Rock Ridge. Sheriff Bart teams up with deputy Jim (Gene Wilder) to foil the railroad-building scheme of the nefarious Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman). The simple plot is just an excuse for a steady stream of gags, many of them unabashedly tasteless, that Brooks and his wacky cast pull off with side-splitting success. The humor is so juvenile and crude that you just have to surrender to it; highlights abound, from the lunkheaded Alex Karras as the ox-riding Mongo to Madeline Kahn's uproarious send-up of Marlene Dietrich as saloon songstress Lili Von Shtupp. Adding to the comedic excess is the infamous campfire scene involving a bunch of hungry cowboys, heaping servings of baked beans and, well, you get the idea. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (207)

The Quintessential Comedy Movie
I love this movie! From the opening scene, where Cleavon Little sings the negro work song, "I Get a Kick Outta You", ala Nat King Cole, and he is corrected by the white men shoing him how to sing "Camptown Ladies", to the absurd surrealist ending (when was the last time you've seen a movie burst out of the movie, this is beautiful comedy.

Sight gags flying by at the speed of light, you will have to watch it hundreds of times to get them all, one liners that would make the Marx Brothers proud ("Bart, I heard you was hung." "You heard right!) This is absurdist comedy at is best (A toll booth on the William J LaPetomaine Freeway). The Mel Brooks choreography is wonderful when Lili Von Schtup sings "I'm Tired." When was the last time you saw German Soldiers tango with their rifles. This movie is filled frame to frame with humor, and no one gets away not insulted (Okay, we'll take the Irish too!)

The cast was perfection, either just over the top, or way over the top Harvey Korman is hilarious as the nefarious Hedley Lamarr. Cleavon Little is fantastic as he makes fun of his own stereotypes, it is absolutely one of the funniest movies ever made by humans on the planet earth.

Until a Special Edition comes along ...
... this will have to do. But that ain't all bad.

Politically incorrect and loving it, "Blazing Saddles" holds up as a comedy nearly 30 years after its release, and maybe even has gotten funnier as Americans get more uptight. Heaven help us if we lose our ability to laugh at the outrageous.

And while the bathroom humor (and the campfire scene) gets all the notice, there are some very subtle jokes in the film, such as the "laurel and hardy handshake" and "Thank you, Van."

As for extras ... there's not much. A trailer, both widescreen and cropped versions, and an monologue by Mel Brooks that plays over the first half of the movie. It's not scene-specific, but it's worth listening to. For instance, Gene Wilder wasn't even supposed to be in the movie. To find out who was, and why Wilder got the part ... listen to the interview.

This film cries out for a special edition. A scene-specific commentary by Brooks and co-writers Andrew Bergman and Richard Pryor. A making-of documentary. The scenes that were edited into the TV version of the movie (like the diving scene and the governor's visit to the fake Rock Ridge)...

Tasteless But Funny
Plays like an ennactment of one of those tasteless joke books set to a Western theme. Not for everyone. Even fans of this sort of thing have to be in a certain mood.

The funniest western ever made
Cleavon Little plays a black railroad worker condemend to death for assaulting his white foreman. At the last minute he is reprieved by the governor who has the devious idea of making him sheriff of Rock Ridge, a town the governor wants destroyed so they can run the railroad through the area, he thinks a black sheriff will finish the town off. When Little arrives in Rock Ridge he is nearly lynched by the outratged inhabitants but manages to outwit them. Safe in the sheriff's office, he finds the town drunk (Gene Wilder) just waking up in the cells, and they strike up a friendship. Together they set about the task of winning over the folk of Rock Ridge ("simple, wholesome, country folk - you know, morons" as Wilder says), and trying to save the town from destruction. This blissfuly funny film is packed with hilarious episodes. There's the wonderful scene where Little, asked to sing a negro song, obliges with 'I get a kick out of you', the scene where he arrives in Rock Ridge, there's Madelein Khan's hilarious Marlene Dietrich impersonation, the wonderful scene where Little and Wilder infiltrate the baddies' gang disguised as Klu Klux Klan members, and my favourite scene of all, the bit where the townsfolk, asked to give some land to the minority groups who are to help them build the fake town, reply "All right, we'll give some land to the niggers and the chinks, but we DON'T want the irish!" The film is utterly delightful, with hilarious performances from all concerned. There's just one thing that I wonder about. Cleavon Little is such a wonderful comic actor, not to mention being drop-dead gorgeous as well, why has so little been seen of him since this film was made? Never mind, if you're only going to be famous for one film, this is a great one to be remembered for.

Even the "Making-of" was recycled!
Five stars for the movie itself as well as the presentation. The movie looks and sounds great.

BUT--- as noted by many, the "30th Anniversary Edition" supplements are basically a hack job. This is easily one of the most influential comedies of all-time, it deserved to really be given the Special Edition treatment.

The "Commentary" is not a traditional commentary at all; not only is it simply the audio from a 55 minute interview with Brooks, it was issued on the previous dvd. This has been mentioned by many reviewers.

What hasn't been as well-reported is that even the half-hour retrospective doc has been recycled. The "Back in the Saddle" program, which is admittedly a decent if unspectacular show, was previously issued on the 2001 VHS edition! Basically, this featurette was issued on the 27th Anniversary video cassette release. Yes, this is the first time it has appeared on dvd, but still a rather lazy choice.

The "Additional Scenes" are, somewhat annoyingly, not accessible scene-by scene. They play as one approx. 10-minute piece. These scenes were added to the TV broadcast version. It's nice to have them, though most of them are shown in the "Back in the Saddle" featurette.

The only other significant supplement is the "Black Bart" pilot episode. This 24-minute show is a real curiousity, a great archival piece even though the show itself is excruciatingly BAD. Still, its interesting viewing, and very easy on the eyes. This show, quite simply, looks amazing! Very well preserved.

There are a couple other bits, like the trailer and an excerpt from a Madeline Kahn documentary (only about 4 minutes or so).

Really, all things considered, Warner really dropped the ball on the supplementals for this edition. The movie itself looks fantastic and the new 5.1 mix isn't anything special but it sounds better than the old disc. The movie is what really counts, and in that area the presentation can hardly be faulted. But in the end, they didn't actually produce any NEW supplemental material for this set. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Buffalo '66
Buffalo '66, directed and written by Vincent Gallo, is an incredible film about this guy named Billy Brown, played by Gallo himself. Billy was a man who was severely down in his luck, from having neglegent parents, terrible luck, and dysfunctional relationships. The root of his anger and bitterness definitely comes from his parents. His mother (played brilliantly yet uncharacteristically by Angelica Huston) was so obsessed with the Buffalo Bills that she disowns Billy since he was born on the same day the Bills won the Super Bowl in 1966 and she couldn't go to the game (and they haven't won since).The story starts off with Billy being released from a 5 year jail sentence ("I was innocent") wandering the streets of Buffalo looking for a bathroom. He finds one at a dance studio, in which he runs into Layla (played by my favorite actress, Christina Ricci). He kidnaps her and somehow persuades her into pretending that she's this girl named Wnedy and that they are married, along with a whole barrage of lies, to impress his parents, not that they really care anyway.After that, Billy and Layla still go places together, but yet Billy is still very bitter and won't easily open up to Layla. He had many emotional scars and trauma (all shown in the movie) and contemplated doing a terrible act of revenge. Then he experienced an epiphany in terms of what would happen if he did it, with Yes' classic epic "Heart of the Sunrise" used effectively, and from there he finds himself in a way, and the film has a surprising ending. This film dealt with human emotion in a non-cliched way, and contained great music and even better acting. Definitely a new favorite film for me.

VINCENT IS MESMERIZING
It's hard to explain, but ''Buffalo 66'' touched me in a way that other films and the way they are made don't do so well. Vincent was engaging as Billy Brown. The way it was made and acted just felt real to me and not over the top, and a lot more true to real life(aspects of it).I loved the ending. I was really hopeing that I wouldn't be left with a depressing ending which would of seemed predictable, but boy, I really felt joy with the out come, Vincent definitely won me over. Vincent has given me something to think about that won't be leaving my head any time soon.
by justine ryan

Classic
This movie is brilliant. Great cast, great performances, interesting story, funny, unpredictable, creative direction and editing, and utterly unique.

Amazing that Vincent Gallo wrote, directed, starred and composed and performed the music. If other filmmakers had even a fraction of his dedication and vision and effort 99% of movies wouldn't be boring, uncompelling rehashes of 50 other movies just like it.

A major problem people have with this film is that they find it unbelievable that Layla would allow herself to be kidnapped so easily, and that she would end up liking him. I think she went along with it because she wanted to. It seemed she was bored with her life and along came this amusing, bizarre stranger to take her on an adventure. She seemed a little wierd herself, and she connected with him in some way. She could probably sense that he wasn't going to hurt her.

Anyway, it's a classic and you must see it.

If you don't buy this, I will never talk to you again
Oh no you are not going to pass this classic up. Nobody should go without seeing the "shifter car" scene, because I think people deserve to laugh really hard. It's you god-given right to buy a movie this good! God wants you to buy this album. If he didn't want you to see such a good movie he wouldn't have created Vincent Gallo or Christina Ricci (with her just-f__king-amazing looks, especially in this movie; pay attention when she's in the tap-dancing class).

Plus it has a happy ending. Everybody likes happy endings. I'm totally gonna steal a page from Billy's book, and buy a girl a heart cookie and a hot chocolate, and I'll play "Sweetness" by Yes when I give them to her. I'll also steal his "kidnap a girl and give her no respect" technique. So romantic!

Uplifting Ending
What gets you about this indie flick is the ending. The film is so full of mysery and dispair and then suddenly there is this crackerjack of an ending that will put a grin on your face for days to come. Not a lot of films do that. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Great DVD transfer!!!!!!
I have always liked this film, but felt that it was poor quality on VHS, but now with DVD, it looks brand new, I hesitated, but bought it & it shines on DVD!!!!!, & is loaded with extras, the film stars Jeff Bridges as a down-on-his-luck football player who winds up being let go, like many, he is in over his head & needs money, James Woods is the answer to his problems so it seems, Woods hires his somewhat friend to find his girlfriend(Ward) who has fled to Mexico to escape his wrath, Bridges reluctantly agrees, & eventually finds her only to fall in love with her, the love scenes are steamy to say the least, but eventually she flees back to Woods after a mishap befalls her & Bridges, once back in L.A., Bridges is then hit with all kinds of mishaps involving blackmail that could destroy him & ultimately Woods, the movie then switches gears as Woods & Bridges try desperately to out do one another, it is clear that a love tri-angle is apparent in that Woods somehow senses Ward's desire for Bridges, this is the kind of movie that the viewer has to follow closely to understand what is going on, it is well-directed in that it keeps you guessing, with real-estate deals that may or may not be fraudelent, with Bridges, Woods, & Ward caught up in the mix, again, you really have to follow the story, with great sceneries in Mexico & L.A., this is truly a great film & probabaly one of Bridges & Woods best. Highly Recommended!!!!!!!!

A great movie. Not just an ordinary love story.
Even if romance movies aren't your favorite, you will find "Against All Odds" intriguing. In addition to the heated scenes with Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward, there's plenty of dirty dealing, back stabbing and double crossing situations for everyone. James Woods and Richard Widmark make excellent con men in this film, with Jane Greer being totally oblivious to the filth and muck going on around her. I enjoyed the suspenseful scene of a secretary (played by Swoosie Kurtz) bluffing her way into her boss's office late at night to steal a little box full of blackmail material. "Against All Odds" was entertaining in every way.

one of the worst movies of all time
I just saw this movie for the first time and all I can say is, I want those two hours of my life back. Rachel Ward's character gives new meaning to the term "useless female". She was great in the Thorn Birds but she acts exactly the same way here. Jeff Bridges & James Woods do ok here but they're not really likeable, and in the end, nothing seems to change much for the leads. Because of that, I don't understand why the title is "Against All Odds"...

Jeff Bridges at his best
No actor has ever looked more sexy on film than Jeff Bridges does here. His chiseled physique, his tousled hair, and all his graceful movements and facial expressions kept me riveted to his presence throughout like I've never been with any other actor in any other film.

Despite some flaws, Against All Odds is a good film and visually beautiful. Jeff Bridges and James Woods put in great performances, as usual, and Rachel Ward's performance was really not bad for a model-turned-actress. Having Jeff and James to play against helped elevate her performance, I'm sure.

Jeff Bridges has always been one of my favorite actors. He was especially stellar in Fearless and The Fabulous Baker Boys, and though I've always considered him to be a handsome man, I never realized just how beautiful and sexy he was capable of being until I rented Against All Odds. It's worth seeing for that reason alone.

One of the worst movies of all time!
Bad acting (Rachel Ward can't act her way out of a paper sack!), bad soundtrack (the beginning of the 80's tyranny of phil collins), terrible writing-- what a mix. Saw this movie in the theatre and had to work hard not to fall asleep. Wait till this is on TV, don't buy the DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (207)

The Quintessential Comedy Movie
I love this movie! From the opening scene, where Cleavon Little sings the negro work song, "I Get a Kick Outta You", ala Nat King Cole, and he is corrected by the white men shoing him how to sing "Camptown Ladies", to the absurd surrealist ending (when was the last time you've seen a movie burst out of the movie, this is beautiful comedy.

Sight gags flying by at the speed of light, you will have to watch it hundreds of times to get them all, one liners that would make the Marx Brothers proud ("Bart, I heard you was hung." "You heard right!) This is absurdist comedy at is best (A toll booth on the William J LaPetomaine Freeway). The Mel Brooks choreography is wonderful when Lili Von Schtup sings "I'm Tired." When was the last time you saw German Soldiers tango with their rifles. This movie is filled frame to frame with humor, and no one gets away not insulted (Okay, we'll take the Irish too!)

The cast was perfection, either just over the top, or way over the top Harvey Korman is hilarious as the nefarious Hedley Lamarr. Cleavon Little is fantastic as he makes fun of his own stereotypes, it is absolutely one of the funniest movies ever made by humans on the planet earth.

Until a Special Edition comes along ...
... this will have to do. But that ain't all bad.

Politically incorrect and loving it, "Blazing Saddles" holds up as a comedy nearly 30 years after its release, and maybe even has gotten funnier as Americans get more uptight. Heaven help us if we lose our ability to laugh at the outrageous.

And while the bathroom humor (and the campfire scene) gets all the notice, there are some very subtle jokes in the film, such as the "laurel and hardy handshake" and "Thank you, Van."

As for extras ... there's not much. A trailer, both widescreen and cropped versions, and an monologue by Mel Brooks that plays over the first half of the movie. It's not scene-specific, but it's worth listening to. For instance, Gene Wilder wasn't even supposed to be in the movie. To find out who was, and why Wilder got the part ... listen to the interview.

This film cries out for a special edition. A scene-specific commentary by Brooks and co-writers Andrew Bergman and Richard Pryor. A making-of documentary. The scenes that were edited into the TV version of the movie (like the diving scene and the governor's visit to the fake Rock Ridge)...

Tasteless But Funny
Plays like an ennactment of one of those tasteless joke books set to a Western theme. Not for everyone. Even fans of this sort of thing have to be in a certain mood.

The funniest western ever made
Cleavon Little plays a black railroad worker condemend to death for assaulting his white foreman. At the last minute he is reprieved by the governor who has the devious idea of making him sheriff of Rock Ridge, a town the governor wants destroyed so they can run the railroad through the area, he thinks a black sheriff will finish the town off. When Little arrives in Rock Ridge he is nearly lynched by the outratged inhabitants but manages to outwit them. Safe in the sheriff's office, he finds the town drunk (Gene Wilder) just waking up in the cells, and they strike up a friendship. Together they set about the task of winning over the folk of Rock Ridge ("simple, wholesome, country folk - you know, morons" as Wilder says), and trying to save the town from destruction. This blissfuly funny film is packed with hilarious episodes. There's the wonderful scene where Little, asked to sing a negro song, obliges with 'I get a kick out of you', the scene where he arrives in Rock Ridge, there's Madelein Khan's hilarious Marlene Dietrich impersonation, the wonderful scene where Little and Wilder infiltrate the baddies' gang disguised as Klu Klux Klan members, and my favourite scene of all, the bit where the townsfolk, asked to give some land to the minority groups who are to help them build the fake town, reply "All right, we'll give some land to the niggers and the chinks, but we DON'T want the irish!" The film is utterly delightful, with hilarious performances from all concerned. There's just one thing that I wonder about. Cleavon Little is such a wonderful comic actor, not to mention being drop-dead gorgeous as well, why has so little been seen of him since this film was made? Never mind, if you're only going to be famous for one film, this is a great one to be remembered for.

Even the "Making-of" was recycled!
Five stars for the movie itself as well as the presentation. The movie looks and sounds great.

BUT--- as noted by many, the "30th Anniversary Edition" supplements are basically a hack job. This is easily one of the most influential comedies of all-time, it deserved to really be given the Special Edition treatment.

The "Commentary" is not a traditional commentary at all; not only is it simply the audio from a 55 minute interview with Brooks, it was issued on the previous dvd. This has been mentioned by many reviewers.

What hasn't been as well-reported is that even the half-hour retrospective doc has been recycled. The "Back in the Saddle" program, which is admittedly a decent if unspectacular show, was previously issued on the 2001 VHS edition! Basically, this featurette was issued on the 27th Anniversary video cassette release. Yes, this is the first time it has appeared on dvd, but still a rather lazy choice.

The "Additional Scenes" are, somewhat annoyingly, not accessible scene-by scene. They play as one approx. 10-minute piece. These scenes were added to the TV broadcast version. It's nice to have them, though most of them are shown in the "Back in the Saddle" featurette.

The only other significant supplement is the "Black Bart" pilot episode. This 24-minute show is a real curiousity, a great archival piece even though the show itself is excruciatingly BAD. Still, its interesting viewing, and very easy on the eyes. This show, quite simply, looks amazing! Very well preserved.

There are a couple other bits, like the trailer and an excerpt from a Madeline Kahn documentary (only about 4 minutes or so).

Really, all things considered, Warner really dropped the ball on the supplementals for this edition. The movie itself looks fantastic and the new 5.1 mix isn't anything special but it sounds better than the old disc. The movie is what really counts, and in that area the presentation can hardly be faulted. But in the end, they didn't actually produce any NEW supplemental material for this set. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

American Graphitti wasn't this crass....or funny
Reviewers who liken this modest film and it's ribald humor to "American Graphitti" are just lazy...and they're under the mistaken impression that "Graphitti" is something other than the overwritten, over-long vanity project it is. "Porky's" takes an engaging story of high school adventure, adds a good number of memorable characters, slips in a condemnation of anti-semetism, then douses the whole affair liberally with outrageous pranks and sex-obsessed imagery. Granted, it's not a film for Bible Belters or other people who are easily offended, but it should appeal to just about everyone else.

Bob Clark wrote and directed this unassuming but endearing little film some 19 years ago, and the dialogue and visuals still retain their comic clarity. The "serious" moments in this film don't drag like most movie messages, but rather give some depth to the otherwise loony/sex-crazed teenagers of Angel Beach High. Like any substantive comedy, "Porky's" has at least two perfect characterizations: Beulah Ballbricker, the waddly and nosey girl's gym teacher, and PeeWee Morris, the All-American pervert who measures his "tallywhacker" every day and charts his findings. The supporting cast is largely comprised of 'unknowns,' and in this simple film the lack of star power means no distractions.

"Porky's" was a huge hit for obvious reasons, and the "secrets" of it's success are mirrored in "American Pie," yet another subversive teen sex flick. Of the two sequels to this film, the first ("Porky's 2") is definitely worth seeing, and the second (you guessed it..."Porky's 3") is an entirely un-essential viewing experience. I would have given this DVD 5 stars, but the lack of special features (not to mention the un-exceptional sound) forced me to dock this release a star. However, the DVD is a better buy than the VHS edition, especially if (like me) you are likely to wear out your copy from repeat viewings.

-Mic

A comedic classic, but is it art?
"Porky's" was well-known for years after its release; I must have been about six years old, but by the time I hit grade four, guys were still talking about it. By then, I had another classic raunchfest to represent my generation ("Revenge Of The Nerds"), but "Porky's" need take no truck from later pretenders to the throne.

Director Bob Clark went on to direct other films, including two progressively worse sequels, but this one will forever stand the test of time. Kim Cattrall is immortalized as 'Miss "Lassie" Honeywell' in the 2nd funniest section of the movie, and Dan Monahan may never live down being typecast as "Pee Wee", but over twenty years later, the jokes still work.

The T&A doesn't tittilate as much now as it did then, but you can still imagine teen boys laughing hysterically the first time they watch it. I will confess to having a bit of sentimental feelings for this film, hence the 3 star rating. A lousy movie, yes. But endlessly watchable.

Live with the hypocrisy.

The nadir of western culture
I can't think of a worse movie. It, in itself, was dull, pre-adolescent, and unoriginal. What's worse is that it spawned not only sequels, but copy-cat dirty-underwear movies for years. AMERICAN PIE can be blamed on this boring waste of celluloid.

Howard Stern wants to remake THIS?
Howard Stern has inked a deal to remake this movie.
Maybe this time it will be funny.
I've never liked this movie. After ANIMAL HOUSE and CADDYSHACK, I thought this was a big step down in rowdy comedies.

I didn't like any of the characters and would've enjoyed seeing them further victimized by the corrupt hillbillies at Porky's bar. There was just something smug and smarmy about their attempts to have sex. And I never thought what they did was as funny as they did. They crack themselves up the whole movie.
It made me realize that what really works in comedy is when the characters DON'T find their predicaments so hilarious.
(Although the old principal cackling at the gym teacher's description of the shower scene was funny).

When the movie tries to find something to say (about anti-Semitism), it comes off as clunky and definitely unfunny.
On the prurient side, one of my buddies was disgusted by the abundance of male nudity. "Come on, who wants to see all these naked guys running around!"

I know humor is highly subjective, but I never liked PORKY's. And the sequels? Forget about it.
But I did like THE HOLLYWOOD KNIGHTS.
Go figure.

It's not one of those cheesy 80's comedys-this one is funny!
During the 1980's it seemed like the screens where beeing flocked with useless teenage films where woman showed there breasts and the kids partyd in a moive with no plot!

This movie is not one of those cheesy 80's flicks! altho it does go along the same lines this movie always has me in side splitting laughter every time! Its hilarious gags and jokes of a bunch of kids in highschool have one crazy time trying to get into a strip club and beeing rejected and humiliated by the owner! So they plan there revenge to get back at him!

No bonus features is not a problem with this movie! If your into a dirty type of comedy then this is the must have! I cant say either of its seaqulls are any good, so my recomendation is just get the first one here! Its not a fammily comedy, its not a movie you will want to show to your grandmother, its got planty of crude and rudeness. But if your like me, youll love! I even stole my user name here from a joke from the movie!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Los Angeles radio station QSKY has become a ratings juggernaut under the guidance of hip, passionate program director Jeff Dugan (played by Michael Brandon). The executives who own the station naturally see it as an opportunity to make lots and lots of money by flooding the airwaves with ads. Meanwhile, the personal lives of the DJs are also in turmoil: Mother (Eileen Brennan) is burnt out with the radio lifestyle and wants to quit; Doc (Alex Karras) has been losing his audience and is on the verge of being fired; Eric Swan (Martin Mull, in his movie debut) has fantasies about becoming a game show host and ignores his affectionate girlfriend; Dugan himself has the hots for Laura (Cassie Yates), who isn't sure she's ready for a steady relationship. A laid-back comedy, FM is deeply, deeply '70s. It portrays its radio heroes as if they were as significant as the rock music they spin. When the corporate suits try to force Dugan to play ads for the U.S. Army, the DJs occupy the station in protest, setting off a near riot. (The irony, of course, is that the music QSKY plays is all top-40 hits of the '70s.) FM features appearances by Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffet, REO Speedwagon, and extensive concert footage of Linda Ronstadt. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (102)

Best film of 1998!
"Let's span time". With these three seemingly innocuous words, Vincent Gallo gets to the heart of this film -- a lonely man's search for a meaningful relationship. To say this film resonated with me is an understatement. I have seen it three times and I definitely think it was the best film of 1998 for several reasons.

First, the direction is quite fascinating. Gallo uses montage scenes quite effectively and there are moments when you are viewing what is supposed to be the characters' thoughts. I thought that was kind of novel. The slow motion climax, while a bit violent, is nevertheless quite riveting.

Second, the writing is great. There are so many great lines it's hard to remember them all."Goon Goon Goon Goon Goon". "I'll choke you to death!" And so on. Hillarious.

Finally, the acting is superb. Not a bum perfomance in the whole movie. Gallo, Cristina Ricci, Ben Gazzara, Angelica Huston, Kevin Corrigan and, yes, Mickey Rourke are all on the top of their game.

This is an offbeat film and it is often very sad, although it is definitely a comedy. It's not for everyone, but for those that like quirky, independent film's, this one is a winner.

Haunting and Beautiful
Vincent Gallo's directorial debut is a powerhouse of fine acting, writing, and direction, not to mention a showcase for some truly jaw-dropping cinematography. Buffalo 66 is one of the finest independent films that I have ever seen, and perhaps the most fascinating character study I have yet to see on film.

Christina Ricci provides one of the year's best performances as Layla, the odd but tenderhearted tap dancer who provides Gallo's Billy Brown with the only true love he has ever received. Ricci's performance is brilliantly understated, and she relays just as much heartfelt meaning in one glance of her beautiful, dark eyes as Gallo does in his barrage of rapid-fire monologues.

There are also fine supporting performances from Ben Gazzara and Angjelica Huston, as Billy's utterly dysfunctional parents, Mickey Rourke, as a sleezy bookie, Jan-Michael Vincent, as Billy's touchingly loyal friend and owner of a bowling alley, and Kevin Corrigan, as Billy's slow but well-meaning best friend.

Buffalo 66 is an incredibly moving and beautiful film. It provides some of the starkest movie images of blue-collar society to come along since the '70s. The on-location Buffalo, New York sites are haunting in their bleakness, and the filtered photography emphasizes this all the more.

On top of all of this, Gallo provides a mesmerizing performance as Billy Brown-a man who has spent so much of his life pining for love and tenderness that he doesn't know how to deal with it once it is staring him in the face.

Simply put, Buffalo 66 is a staggering achievement. Vincent Gallo is a fiercely talented filmmaker and a force to be reckoned with in the future.

wow
what else can i say about this film thas hasnt been said already, the praise is well deserved and it being vincent gallos debut film only makes a person wonder how great of an artist he truly is, not only as a genius musician who also did the score for the film and the music works so well with the film, but also as a writer and director, one of my favorite films of all time , and definately in my top ten, cristina ricci also deserves praise for her role, and i couldnt picture anybody else playing it. buffalo '66 is quite an accomplishment

Just a Grate Work of Art
Buffalo 66' is a gratest movie I have ever seen. It's main mattar is love, but the love story is not ordinal film's one. Although two central caracters are cool and cute, they are not portrayed as dramatic, special parsons. They are presented as usual even more like pitiful in all of the film. There are few dramatic scenes, and uneventful time is streaming. A world of the film is very small, and it's time flows slowly. That is why maybe someone would think it as boring. But I felt that the story is very natural and the love illustrated in the film is quite real. They gradually grow tender of each other as they know of each other. Although there is little description of the reason of their love, a persuasion is exist.It may be good that needless things are cut out. Because of the simple story, film's musics and images are also effectively memorable. Buffalo 66' is just a great work of art.

loved it
what a debut for Vincent Gallo, Buffalo '66 really makes u part of the movie with a thought provoking plot and excellent acting. The plot and characters work so well u cant help feel bad for the poor Billy Brown but at the same time its very humorous. I rented it then purchased it and i absolutley love it, so i highly reccomend u go watch this movie ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Magnificent epic equals magnificent story
As a longtime fan of James Michener I have enjoyed many of his works but none of them has been so well represented on film as Centennial. The book was super but was erratically paced and jumped back and forth in history. The miniseries, however, is wonderful. The casting of the characters was right on in both the main and supporting roles. Robert Conrad gave his best performance as the complicated French trapper Pasquinel. Richard Chamberlain was the perfect Alexander McKeag and Gregory Harrison did a terrific job in his ability to cope with his character's aging from a inexperienced farm boy to a likable everyman to an aging hero. Michener's story explores the discovery of the west and shows us heroism and cowardice, greatness and pettiness and is a superb history lesson which everyone will enjoy. The series presents this story in the form of characters you will grow to like, admire, love, hate and remember. People I've watched the series with have shown deep emotion and cried through the depiction of the Indian massacre (actually the Sand Creek Massacre but renamed for the story). They came to admire Dennis Weaver as the cattle drive boss R.J. Poteet and the young cowboys he helped turn into men. You will see characters grow and change. You will identify with many and feel sad as they age and die. Throughout, however, you will be entertained and you will have a greater appreciation of the people who framed the American West.

Memorable, if overlong western epic
The mammoth western epic "Centennial" has always deserved a storied place in television history.

This ambitious effort, based on the James Michener novel of the same name, attempts to cover the history of the state of Colorado, from the days of the Native Americans to the political/environmental dealings of modern times. Clocking in at 24 hours, it's probably safe to say that rarely has so much effort been put into the television medium. Unfortunately, "Centennial" would have been better served to cut it's running time in half.

The first five episodes of "Centennial," dealing with the settling of the American frontier and the eventual clash between pioneers and Native Americans, are some of the finest hours ever produced for television. This 1978 miniseries provides an early sympathetic view of the Native American, from the appealing chief Lame Beaver, played convincingly by Michael Ansara, to his daughter Clay Basket sympathetically played by Barbara Carrera. Throw into this mix the stormy relationship of trappers Pasquinel (Robert Conrad) and McKeag (Richard Chamberlain), and you have great drama on the untamed frontier. Their lives, and the rustic, changing world in which they live, makes for terrific historical fireworks.

Of course, Conrad's performance as Pasquinel, a colorful and memorable character if ever there was one, is one of the finest of his erratic career. As soon as his character leaves the film, there is an emptiness to the drama which is never quite replaced. And this emptiness damages the overall memory of this western epic.

Episode five, which details the disturbing true-life incident of the Sand Creek Massacre, in which hundreds of Native Americans were brutally murdered, is probably the last hurrah of "Centennial." The film soon switches gears to detail ranching life, farming struggles and the Depression. But the sense of wonder and awe seems to disappear, as the film wallows in a series of cliches (Brian Keith as the town sheriff is almost laughably bad) which resembles poor soap opera. The characters are not as multi-dimensional, and certainly not as inspiring.

"Centennial" rebounds somewhat during the twelth and final episode in which the valid question is raised as to what type of industry is best for the state of Colorado -- living off the land as our ancestors did, or mining the countryside for its resources. David Janssen is superb as a ranch owner and descendent of Pasquinel. His brooding intensity practically washes away the bad taste left from the frustrating boredom of the previous four episodes.

"Centennial" boasts one of the most extraordinary casts ever assembled for a motion picture. Almost too many to mention, some nods of respect must be given to Conrad, Chamberlain, Janssen, Chad Everett, Richard Crenna (in a particularly villainous role), Carrera, Lynn Redgrave, Gregory Harrison and Dennis Weaver (absolutely terrific as trail boss R.J. Poteet).

Appropriate kudos must be given to the beautiful cinemaphotography and the exciting musical score of John Addison.

"Centennial," essentially is a television history of the United States, from the early settlers to modern times. No stone is left unturned in this epic journey, and if the ambition was a bit more than these filmmakers could actually achieve given the restraints of the budget and the limitations of its marathon length, one can forgive these starry-eyed dreamers for losing steam during the final episodes.

Based on the first five episodes (11 hours) alone, "Centennial" is one of the finest works in television history. As a whole, the film sputters to a three-star rating. But for patient viewers, there are many diamonds to discover in the rough, unforgiving land known as "Centennial."

PLEASE HURRY WITH THE DVD!!!!!
THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST INTERESTING,WELL MADE, DYNAMIC
WORK ON THE HISTORY OF THE THE WEST EVER MADE. NOT ONLY DOES IT SHOW THE MOVEMENTS OF THE DIFFERENT MEN AND WOMEN WHO HELPED MAKE THE AMERICAN WEST, BUT IS SHOWS IT IN A WAY THAT IT IS HARD FOR ANYONE NOT TO GET WRAPPED UP IN IT. IT IS REMARKABLY CLOSE
TO JAMES MICHENER'S WONDERFUL BOOK. IT WOULD BE A GRAVE MISTAKE
NOT TO PUT THIS MOVIE/MINI-SERIES ON DVD. TO ME THIS RATES WITH
"THE LORD OF THE RINGS" AND "HARRY POTTER" FOR INTERTAINMENT.
THIS A REAL WINNER.........

DVD NOW PLEASE!! C'mon Universal!
In my opinion the finest mini-series in the history of TV. Universal Home Video must give this the attention it so richly deserves!

Centennial
This TV series was screened once in the UK on Sunday afternoons. It was an epic of it day. It was and is a must view program for all the family. Once you start watching you'll be hooked. The first 3/4s of the series are definately the better part. There is lots of lush scenery and a stronge flowing story with plenty of action.

We seem to have been waiting for ever for it to come out on DVD anyone any idea who we can chase? The money is burning a hole in my pocket. Obviously this is based on the video ... Read more